7 ULBs biggest water wasters

Khammam: Officials of six urban local bodies (ULB) including the Khammam Municipal Corporation and Kothagudem, Yellandu and Paloncha municipalities and Sattupalli, Madhira and Manuguru nagarpanchayats were asked to follow the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation in checking purified water wastage.

It is found that water wastage per cent in these urban bodies ranges between four to 33 percent. The cost of the wastage is in crores of rupees in a year. At one estimate, water can be supplied to another 5,000 households if water wastage is checked.

Wastage is in three forms including leakages in pipes, nalas and tanks. Paloncha municipality stood in the first place in leakage of water with 33 percent wastage.

Water is leaking at 170 points in the town. Kothagudem took the second place with 20 per cent leakage with 8,900 tap connections. There are leaks at 60 places and most leaks are in the pipes.

Water wastage is 16 percent in Manuguru, 15 in Yellandu, seven in Madhira and four in Sattupalli. There are leaks in 79 places in Yellandu and 24 in Madhira.

GHMC officials first selected two colonies and counted water quantity. They marked red where water leakage was more, orange with lower leakage and green where there is no wastage of water. It worked well and wastage of water was checked. At the same time, water leakage through pipes and nalas was also checked.

In KMC, water wastage per cent is five and leakages were found at 65 places. More leakages are found in public tap points. Water being supplied by municipalities is purified and is meant for drinking. People should not use such water for gardening, car and house cleaning. If they do not, water wastage can be checked.