Civic bodies could link to water grid

Hyderabad: A majority of the municipalities in Telangana are facing severe drinking water problems throughout the year.

The ambitious Rs 40,000-crore Water Grid project is aimed at providing drinking water connection to each and every household in rural areas by 2019.

A majority of households have water connection in municipalities and urban areas, but there is no water supply due to lack of water.

In this backdrop, the municipal and urban development department has sought integration of the Water Grid with the municipal water network to supply urban areas.

It estimated the cost at an extra Rs 3,000 crore for which the department is seeking the TS government’s approval.

The department has recently submitted a report to the government over the issue, which states, “Barring Hyderabad and a few major towns where water is supplied on alternate days, the remaining 40 municipalities are facing severe water shortage all through the year. People are forced to buy water during all seasons. The Water Grid project being taken up by the rural water supply department can resolve the drinking water problem in municipalities if it is integrated with the municipal water supply network.”

It brought to the notice of the government that by spending an additional '3,000 crore, all the 67 municipalities in TS would become free of drinking water woes.

The department offered to complete these integration works in less than two years, if funds are released.

The department pointed out that the drinking water problem would turn more severe in the coming years in municipal corporations like Warangal, Mahbubnagar, Nizamabad, Khammam and Ramagundam, if the issue is not addressed now.