Hyderabad: Cops, Army top water users

Hyderabad: Army and Air Force establishments, police, beer manufacturing units on the city’s outskirts, five-star hotels in Banjara and Jubilee Hills and resorts in the city are the top users of drinking water supplied by the Water Board.

The city has about 30,000 commercial and industrial connections that use 8.4 per cent of the 355 million gallons a day of water. DC’s investigation into water use patterns revealed that of the 20 divisions in the city, SR Nagar, which includes the upmarket but relatively less densely populated Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills areas, and Asmangarh, densely populated and where most illegal tappings take place, were the highest consumers.

The SR Nagar division consumes 39 MGD — 10.9 per cent of the city’s supply — and Asmangarh, 52 MGD or 14.6 per cent. Malkajgiri, one of the biggest areas, has 56,556 water connections even though not all localities are covered, while SR Nagar has 80,058. The consumption at Malkajgiri is 14 MGD with 56,556 connections. It falls under Division 13. LB Nagar, which has the highest number of connections — 98177 — consumes only 27 MGD. Kukatpally with 72,634 connections consumes only 21 MGD. Each division is divided into sub-divisions and then into sections. SR Nagar division has many sections and so does Asmangarh.

Chandanagar needs more tankers
Even as Army and Air Force establishments, police, beer manufacturing units on the city’s outskirts apart from five-star hotels and resorts in the city are the top users of drinking water, a Water Board official at SR Nagar division said Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills consume the most water in the city — 10 to 12 MGD — due to large pipelines.

Usually houses have half-inch pipelines, but many houses in these areas have one-inch or 1.5-inch pipes and consume more water, said the official. Revenue director P.S. Suryanarayana said, “The water supplied to the Army includes the Military Engineering Services, MES (Mud Fort), all sectors in AOC, Bolaram and Golconda. He said the water supplied by the board to the Army is also used for the golf course and other purposes. Five-star hotels also use the water for other purposes.

Trimulgherry resident Chandra Sankaran of ‘Open Secunderabad Cantonment Board Roads’ said, “Firstly because of the golf course the gates were closed in the AOC area. Now, precious water is being used to maintain it. The golf course is used by Army personnel and civilians.”

Slum dwellers pay only Rs 7 per KL while domestic users pay between Rs 10 and Rs 40 depending on the amount. The cost incurred by the board to draw, filter, transmit and supply is Rs 45 per KL. Water Board director, revenue, P.S. Suryanarayana said water supplied through tankers in the city was only 4 MGD per day. There is more demand for tankers from Chandanagar that includes Madhapur.