Hyderabad:

Fresh data from the Hyderabad Ground Water Department reveals that residents in areas like Marredpally now have to drill to depths nearing 22 metres to access water. Tirumalagiri and Ameerpet fare only slightly better, with water available around 19 metres below ground. In just two months, April to May, Marredpally saw its groundwater level fall by 2.65 metres, the sharpest recorded drop during this period. Similar declines were noted in Tirumalagiri (1.36 metres) and Ameerpet (1.24 metres).

Hyderabad is facing a deepening water crisis as aggressive and unregulated extraction of groundwater continues to drain the city’s underground reserves. Despite receiving unusually heavy summer rains, several neighbourhoods have witnessed a dramatic fall in groundwater levels, underscoring the severity of the problem.

Groundwater depletion despite ample rain in Hyderabad

xperts attribute the disconnect to extensive urbanisation, where sprawling concrete structures and asphalt surfaces prevent rainwater from percolating into the ground. Coupled with widespread and unchecked borewell drilling, this has significantly hampered the natural replenishment of groundwater.

The crisis is particularly stark given the city’s recent weather patterns. Hyderabad recorded 1,099.6 mm of rainfall in April, 33 per cent above the seasonal average. However, this deluge has done little to recharge the city’s aquifers. E

Borewells as deep as 3,000 metres; increase water tanker demands

In anticipation of water shortages, many households began re-drilling their borewells even before summer commenced. Reports suggest that some desperate residents have dug as deep as 3,000 metres in search of water, a clear indicator of how far the crisis has escalated.

To monitor the situation, piezometers, devices that measure groundwater depth and flow have been installed in strategic locations such as schools, parks, and government buildings. These instruments have consistently recorded falling water levels across the city.

Demand for water tankers has also surged, with the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board estimating between 150,000 and 200,000 tanker trips being made each month during the peak summer period to compensate for the shortfall in household and commercial supply.

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