Hyderabad Water Crisis: How Many Litres of Water Wasted Daily?

Hyderabad is grappling with severe water shortages, while nearly 95 million liters (3.5 million gallons) of water are being wasted daily due to leakages, illegal connections, and unauthorized usage, according to sources. The city’s Water Board supplies 550 million gallons per day (MGD), but a significant portion never reaches consumers.

“The total wastage is hard to calculate, but about 2% of water is lost during transmission, and 15% is wasted in the distribution network,” explained V.L. Praveen Kumar, HMWS&SB revenue director. The primary causes of water loss include pipeline leakages and illegal connections.

A major problem is old underground pipelines, which often crack or burst, especially in areas that haven’t been upgraded for years. Fluctuating pressure in the distribution network further damages these pipes, leading to water seepage. In some cases, leaks go unnoticed for days or even weeks, resulting in continued water loss.

Illegal water connections also contribute significantly to the wastage. Some households have multiple unregistered connections, which means their actual water consumption isn’t recorded. This not only leads to financial losses for the Water Board but also causes imbalances in water distribution. In some areas, excessive water use from illegal connections leaves others struggling with shortages.

To put this in perspective, the amount of water lost daily could supply many households in the city. With many areas already facing water supply issues, addressing these leakages and controlling illegal connections could improve distribution and reduce reliance on water tankers and borewells.

To combat these challenges, the HMWS&SB is planning to introduce a new monitoring system called “dockets.” This system will assign consumer account numbers (CANs) to specific meter readers, improving accountability, detecting unauthorized connections, and ensuring accurate billing. The Water Board believes this will provide a clearer picture of actual water usage and help reduce wastage.