Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) Managing Director Ashok Reddy instructed officials on Tuesday to draft a comprehensive emergency plan ensuring uninterrupted drinking‑water supply if the anticipated flood inflows into the Singur and Manjira reservoirs fail to materialise.

Background

The Singur and Manjira catchments are heavily dependent on monsoon‑driven flood inflows. Recent meteorological forecasts have shown high uncertainty, prompting the board to prepare for a worst‑case scenario. Consequently, the contingency plan must assess reservoir‑wise water availability, minimum drinking‑water requirements, projected supply deficits, and the practicality of diverting water from the Krishna, Godavari and Mission Bhagiratha projects.

Core Elements of the Contingency Plan

The plan will feature a scientific water‑balance statement that accounts for current storage, daily draw‑down, usable water, allocated volumes, and transmission losses. It will also detail the infrastructure needed—pipelines, inter‑connections, valves, pumping stations, and reservoir modifications—along with area‑wise allocation tables. In anticipation of an extra 25‑30 MGD from Mission Bhagiratha, officials are directed to pre‑position infrastructure, while also studying the technical feasibility of pulling an additional 10 MGD from the Godavari system.

Tanker Operations and Crisis Management

To clear backlogs, the board aims to run at least 11,000 tanker trips daily. Persistent backlogs at Boduppal, Shapurnagar, NTR Nagar, Kothapet, Gajularamaram, Peerzadiguda and Mangapuram will be addressed within three‑to‑four days by deploying extra tankers, drivers, night‑shift crews, additional filling points, and vehicle‑routing from nearby stations.

Rain‑water Harvesting and Digital Monitoring

Given delays in rain‑water harvesting projects, a digital dashboard will be created to monitor progress. The dashboard will ensure rooftop runoff is filtered and directed to recharge pits, shafts or injection bores. Apartments and gated communities that excessively book water tankers will receive notices this month to install compliant rain‑water harvesting systems.

Operational Priorities and Future Outlook

Complaints about contaminated water must be resolved within 24 hours, with field teams providing alternative drinking water and closing cases only after permanent rectification. Additional directives include immediate road restoration for water and sewer works, an operations‑maintenance plan for the 47 newly added wards, master plans for water supply and sewerage up to 2035 and 2047, faster processing of single‑window applications, and a target of 5% monthly revenue growth over the next six months. Recognising that tanker services and grievance redressal shape public perception, officials are urged to resolve consumer issues promptly.