The water crisis in Karimnagar city is becoming a serious issue as the Lower Manair Dam’s water levels drop. With 3000 cusecs of water allocated for agriculture and evaporation losses, the reservoir now has only 7 TMC left, indicating a potential shortage of drinking water in the upcoming summer.
The city, with 60 divisions and around 59,000 tap connections, is facing disruptions in its water management. Scheduled water release times have been inconsistent, causing confusion among residents. Water releases that were supposed to happen at 4 am are now occurring as early as 3.30 am or even 3 am, leading to unexpected interruptions in supply.
Certain high-level areas in the city like Santosh Nagar, Bhagyanagar, and Vavilalapalli are not receiving water due to low pressure in the supply. Residents in areas like Bank Colony, Chaitanyapuri, and Ramnagar are already facing a drinking water crisis. The merged villages of Sitarampur and Arepally are also experiencing severe shortages.
Previously, the city received 70 MLD for filtration, but now only 51 to 53 MLD is being supplied due to reduced releases from the LMD. This has worsened the water scarcity in high-level zones. The LMD’s water reserves are depleting rapidly, with projections indicating it could be empty within two months if the trend continues.
Municipal Commissioner Srinivas has acknowledged the challenges and assured that efforts are being made to address the crisis. Daytime water supply continues with some delays, and tankers are being used to deliver water to areas in need. Minister Ponnam Prabhakar’s announcement of releasing three TMC water from Mid Manair to LMD in April offers hope for a solution.
Efforts are also being made to repair boreholes in critical areas to improve access to groundwater. The current average water supply stands at 51 MLD per day, but steps are being taken to increase this supply and alleviate the water shortage in the city.
