Hyderabad: Many areas hit by low water pressure; HMWSSB blames illegal pumping, warns of disconnection

Hyderabad: For the last few days, Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) has been receiving complaints regarding low pressure of water supply in various areas of the city.

The areas affected due to low pressure of water supply are Kukatpally, KPHB, Hafeezpet, Kondapur, Manikonda, Khairatabad, Red Hills, Nampally, Himayat Nagar, Tarnaka, Malkajgiri, Uppal, Tukaramgate and other surrounding areas.

Several residents have stated that they are reliant on tankers due to a shortage of an appropriate water supply. The problem has worsened as residents use electric pumps to draw water directly from pipes.

Despite the vigilance department of HMWSSB conducting raids and registering cases based on complaints, the use of motor pumps is not decreasing, the residents alleged.

With intense heat prevailing, the need for water has also gone up. HMWSSB has received complaints that residents are using motor pumps to draw more water from pipelines. Water supply will be disconnected if motor pumps are used to draw water apart from seizure of motor pumps, said a senior official from HMWWSB.

Recently, the board has carried out pipe line repair works between Singapur and Khanapur due to this water volume being reduced causing low pressure problems. Steps are being taken to improve water supply in some areas, he added.

Meanwhile, HMWSSB managing director Ashok Reddy has convened a meeting with the officials on tanker bookings in the city. Speaking on the occasion, he said that the board came to know that tanker booking pendency has increased in some areas due to the consecutive holidays as well as the Ugadi and Ramzan festivals, with some tanker drivers going on vacation.

The MD further said that although tanker bookings did not increase significantly due to consecutive holidays, drivers went on vacation. But the supply of already booked tankers have increased at Shaikpet, Shapur Nagar, Budvel, Asif Nagar, NTR Nagar, Bhavani Nagar, Chilakalguda, Shapur Nagar-2, Moula Ali, Gajularamaram, Erragadda, Gachibowli-2, Vengal Rao Nagar, Yellareddyguda, and Venkatagiri filling stations.

Ashok Reddy has instructed the officials concerned to work extra hours for the next two days to deliver these pending tankers. Arrangements should be made for tanker deliveries in two shifts and water supply arrangements should be made accordingly. Officials were also asked to arrange for tankers to deliver household needs during the day and commercial needs at night.

HMWSSB executive director Mayank Mittal said that pendency can be reduced by analyzing tanker data and determining booking time at the filling stations. He also asked the officials to submit proposals to increase the number of filling points at the required filling stations.