Hyderabad: As water scarcity deepens this summer, residents are facing a sharp rise in household expenses, with families spending an additional 2,000 to 4,000 per month on water tankers.While the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) charges 500 for a 5,000-litre tanker, private suppliers demand anywhere between 1,500 and 2,000.This has placed a significant burden on residents of apartment complexes and gated communities, especially in the western parts of the city such as Nallagandla, Chandanagar, and the financial district, where demand is particularly high.Resident welfare associations (RWAs) report that municipal water supply is inconsistent and inadequate, forcing communities to rely heavily on tankers. In addition to monthly maintenance fees ranging from 2,000 to 3,000, many housing societies have introduced separate ‘water budgets’ to cope with the crisis until June.”The water crisis in our colony has worsened, with nearly all borewells running dry. Residents now depend entirely on HMWSSB and private tankers,” said J Karthik, a resident of Panchavati Colony in Manikonda. “Most apartment buildings in our colony have 20 to 30 flats, with each flat spending at least ₹2,000 for water on top of maintenance charges. In urgent situations, we turn to private suppliers who charge ₹2,000 for 5,000 litres.”In Kondapur, several apartment associations have begun including ‘extra water charges’ in monthly invoices, ranging from 2,500 to 4,000. “This additional collection began in April and will continue through June, as water shortages usually persist until then,” said Sai Ravi Shanker, president of the Federation of Gated Communities, Cyberabad. “Regular maintenance and security fees of 2,000 to 3,000 per flat are billed monthly, with water charges added based on tanker usage.”Some larger communities are dipping into special funds to cover tanker costs. “Our community, with 521 flats, maintains a development fund collected at 3.50 per sq. ft biannually. This fund is now being used to arrange water tankers, especially during summer,” said Lakshmi Narasimha, a resident of Vertex Panache, Kokapet. “We’re currently booking three tankers a week.”Quote”Compared to April, the situation has marginally improved in May due to sporadic rainfall. Tanker bookings have decreased from 1,700–2,000 per day in April to around 1,500 in May. However, borewells in our division, including Ayyappa Society, Madhapur, Nallagandla, Gachibowli, Kondapur, and Nanakramguda, began drying up as early as February—even those that were drilled to depths of 2,000 feet. This area now accounts for the highest number of water tanker bookings in the city.”M BrijeshGeneral manager, HMWSSB (Durgam Cheruvu division)
