No more untreated sewage into Musi, Cyberabad plans separate drainage system

Hyderabad: Cyberabad Commissionerate officials have initiated a coordinated plan to ensure that untreated sewage does not enter stormwater drains, lakes or the Musi river.

The decision was taken during a joint inspection conducted on Wednesday by Cyberabad Municipal Commissioner G Srijana, HMWSSB managing director Ashok Reddy and Zonal Commissioner Hemanth, along with officials from the irrigation and municipal departments, to curb urban water pollution.

Zero untreated sewage into Musi

During the inspection, officials stressed that all sewage must be diverted to Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and fully treated before discharge.

They issued clear instructions that under no circumstances should untreated wastewater be allowed to flow into the Musi River. They called for strict monitoring mechanisms to enforce compliance.

Sewerage and stormwater drains to be separated

As part of the plan, authorities have decided to separate sewerage lines from rainwater drains to prevent mixing, particularly during the monsoon.

Officials directed departments to conduct a comprehensive survey of sewerage networks and identify points where sewage is entering stormwater drains. Based on this mapping, priority works will be taken up to construct trunk sewer mains in critical areas.

Infra push from Durgam Cheruvu to Ibrahim Cheruvu

The team reviewed key stretches from Durgam Cheruvu to Ibrahim Cheruvu, focusing on preventing sewage inflow into lakes.

Plans include the expansion of box drains and the strengthening of trunk mains from Malkam Cheruvu to Neknampur. The expansion will also include a review of ongoing and proposed works at STPs in Chitrapuri Colony, Khajaguda Kunta, Nanakramguda and Neknampur.

Officials also inspected ground conditions to assess existing sewage flow patterns and the feasibility of infrastructure upgrades.

Lake protection in focus

Emphasising lake protection, authorities said preventing sewage from entering water bodies is critical for environmental sustainability. They called for intercepting sewage at source and diverting it to treatment facilities to preserve the health of urban lakes.

Monsoon preparedness and network upgrade

With the monsoon approaching, officials directed departments to enhance the capacity of stormwater drains, modernise trunk sewer networks, lay new pipelines where required and upgrade ageing infrastructure.

They also stressed the need for strict surveillance to prevent leakages or illegal connections, and called for better coordination among departments.

Push for reuse of treated water

In a sustainability-focused move, officials also proposed the reuse of treated wastewater. They suggested assessing demand for recycled water in surrounding areas and incorporating treated water supply units in all STPs.

Plans include setting up treated water storage facilities and tanker filling points to supply water for gardening, construction, flushing and landscaping purposes.