Hyderabad to Face 36 Hour Drinking Water Disruption from October 13, Here’s What You Should Know

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) has announced a 36 hour water supply disruption starting from October 13, affecting several areas across the city.

The interruption is being carried out to facilitate pipeline maintenance, leak repair, and upgrade works at key junctions of the city’s main water distribution network. Officials stated that this move is essential to prevent long-term breakdowns as the system continues to experience heavy strain from rapid urban growth.

Reason for Disruption

According to HMWSSB engineers, the maintenance involves major valve replacement and interconnection work in multiple sectors, especially those connected to the Manjira, Krishna, and Godavari water supply lines.
This will cause a temporary shutdown in certain pumping stations and result in low or no pressure in many residential and commercial areas.

Underlying Urban Issues

Beyond the official reason, experts highlight deeper causes behind Hyderabad’s recurring water shortages:

Heavy Population Congestion High density localities such as Mehdipatnam, Ameerpet and LB Nagar consume more than double their planned water quota.
Uncontrolled High Rise Growth Many new residential towers have come up without proper water balancing or storage design.
Lack of Rainwater Harvesting Systems Despite being mandatory, only around 40% of large buildings have functional harvesting pits.
Overdependence on Borewells The rapid depletion of groundwater worsens the crisis during maintenance shutdowns.

Urban planners warn that if such growth continues without reform, temporary disruptions could become routine in coming years.

Areas Likely to Be Affected

Though the final list is being updated, parts of Secunderabad, Banjara Hills, Kukatpally, Gachibowli, LB Nagar, Uppal and Chandanagar are expected to face low water pressure or total supply cut during the maintenance window.

Residents are advised to store sufficient drinking water and avoid non-essential usage during this period.

Public Awareness & Precautions

To handle this 36 hour disruption responsibly, citizens are advised to:

Store water in advance for drinking, cooking and hygiene.
Avoid washing vehicles or watering gardens until full supply resumes.
Encourage neighbors in apartments to share stored water where possible.
Check for leaks and fix them even a small tap leak wastes up to 20 liters a day.
Implement or repair rainwater harvesting pits this is now a civic necessity, not a choice.

Expert View

Environmental activist Dr. R. Kalyani says,

“Hyderabad’s water problem is no longer about scarcity it’s about mismanagement. We need serious commitment to rainwater harvesting and recycling within apartments and IT parks.”

Closing Thought

The 36 hour shutdown may be temporary, but it’s a reminder of how fragile urban infrastructure has become. As Hyderabad continues to grow vertically, Citizens, Builders and Civic Bodies must come together to ensure responsible water use and sustainable urban planning.