Drinking water shortages are emerging in parts of Telangana as scanty rainfall and high temperatures contribute to falling groundwater levels. Many ponds and lakes have not filled this monsoon, while water storage in reservoirs across the Godavari and Krishna basins is declining.
Water supply concerns have been reported in Hyderabad, its outskirts, Ranga Reddy, Medak and Adilabad districts. In the combined Ranga Reddy district, drinking water does not reach about 50 per cent of villages regularly, according to the information provided. Residents in some areas have also found that borewells drilled to depths of 1,000 to 1,500 feet are not yielding water.
In Sadasivpet, daily demand is estimated at 80 lakh litres, but the current supply is about 50 lakh litres. That water is supplied only once every two days. Officials estimate that some areas may have to depend on tankers in October and November if supply conditions worsen. They report no drinking water problems at present in the other seven combined districts.
Officials are also weighing the effect of releasing reservoir water for the Yasangi, or second, crop. Nizam Sagar currently holds 12 TMC against its full capacity of 17.80 TMC. Further releases for irrigation could reduce storage, prompting concern among officials that drinking water shortages may begin as early as January or February.
Storage at Singur Reservoir has fallen sharply, with about 4 TMC currently available against a full capacity of 30 TMC. The reservoir supplies 2,395 rural habitations and 19 towns. Officials estimate that using 3 TMC of the available water could meet drinking water needs for about 80 days.
Officials are examining alternatives to support supplies, including transferring water from Mallanna Sagar and Srisailam. The current figures cited for Singur are about 4 TMC in storage, compared with its 30 TMC capacity.
