Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) launched a 100-day action plan on Monday to boost groundwater levels across areas from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to the Outer Ring Road through compulsory rainwater harvesting.
Under the plan, HMWSSB made rainwater harvesting structures mandatory for every 200-square-yard house and for all properties above 300 square yards within its jurisdiction. Managing Director K Ashok Reddy said the move aimed to restore groundwater and reduce dependence on tanker water.
He said the city would not need the Krishna Phase-4 project if every household built a rainwater harvesting pit. He added that the action plan focused on long-term water security rather than short-term supply measures.
HMWSSB rainwater harvesting plan targets tanker users
As part of the drive, officials identified households that booked more than 20 water tankers every month. The Water Board issued notices to 16,000 such households, asking them to construct rainwater harvesting pits.
Officials said another 25,000 properties must install the structures by March next year. A survey of 40,209 residential complexes found that 22,825 had rainwater harvesting pits, while 17,384 did not.
On Monday, K Ashok Reddy visited Madhapur with officials to review local water conservation efforts. He praised residents of a 15-flat apartment in Kakatiya Hills for solving water problems through an injection bore well. He described the effort as a strong example of public participation in groundwater conservation.