Brace up for a relatively parched summer, as drinking water supply is likely to take a nosedive with both Osmansagar and Himayatsagar fast drying up. According to officials, water available in the two reservoirs will be sufficient for supply only up to May, after which reserves will reach dead storage levels, forcing use of high-power motors to pump water.
But the quality of water at dead storage level is hardly satisfying, given the experience. Residents had earlier complained of ‘stinking and discoloured water’ supplied from these two reservoirs. This, officials said, would force them to divert Krishna water to areas fed by these two reservoirs, which, however, will affect supply to other areas as a whopping 40 million gallons of Krishna water has to be diverted. This is the quantity supplied from Osmansagar and Himaya-tsagar to a large number of areas in old city, Adarshnagar and parts of the new city, officials said.
The Water Board chief general manager (transmission), Visveswaraiah said, they would be able to continue supplying 340 to 350 million gallons per day (MGD) till July with the available water in Osmansagar, Himayat-sagar, Singur and Manjira, and 180 MGD assured water from Akkampally balancing reservoir. Groundwater levels in the city have plummeted due to a 27-per cent deficit rainfall last monsoon, resulting in most borewells returning empty.