Hyderabad water supply: Telangana braces for El Niño with 60 MGD plan
Synopsis
With El Niño squeezing Hyderabad's reservoirs, Telangana is scrambling to add 60 MGD of water from emergency sources while a Mallannasagar pipeline — due in November — promises another 20 MGD. Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju's review reveals groundwater levels are already falling faster than last year, making the city's 60-day conservation campaign far more than routine public messaging.
Key Takeaways
Telangana Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju chaired a water preparedness review for the Hyderabad Core Area on 13 October .
Current supply from five sources stands at 560 MGD ; an additional 60 MGD will be sourced to counter El Niño impact.
A pipeline from Mallannasagar (holding 5 TMC ) is due by November , unlocking 20 MGD more.
Groundwater in Hyderabad has declined significantly over the past two to three months , raising tanker demand.
Conserving 20% of water across the three corporations could save 80 MGD daily.
A 60-day public awareness campaign involving celebrities has been ordered; green tankers for treated wastewater are being deployed by HMWSSB .
Telangana Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju on Tuesday, 13 October chaired a high-level review meeting to assess drinking water supply preparedness across the Hyderabad Core Area, directing officials to draw up contingency plans to counter the anticipated impact of the El Niño phenomenon on reservoir levels. The state has outlined a plan to mobilise an additional 60 MGD of water beyond current available supplies to prevent any disruption to residents.
Current Water Availability and Sources
Drinking water to the Hyderabad Core Area — covering the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation (MMC), and Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) — is drawn primarily from Osman Sagar, Himayat Sagar, the Manjeera, Krishna, and Godavari water sources. Combined, these currently yield around 560 MGD.
To bridge the gap created by reduced reservoir levels, a supplementary plan has been drawn to source an additional 60 MGD: 15 MGD from the Krishna River, 40 MGD through two tranches under Mission Bhagiratha, and 5 MGD jointly from Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar.
Mallannasagar Pipeline to Add 20 MGD by November
Officials at the meeting informed Chief Secretary Jaju that 5 TMC of water is currently available at Mallannasagar. A pipeline project to transport water from Mallannasagar to the city is expected to be completed by November, which would unlock a further 20 MGD for urban supply. This project is seen as a critical medium-term buffer against El Niño-induced shortfalls.
Jaju also noted that groundwater levels across the city had declined significantly over the past two to three months compared to the same period last year, pushing up demand for water tankers. He directed that sewage treatment plants (STPs) in gated communities and apartment complexes operate at full capacity, and that treated wastewater be channelled for gardening, vehicle washing, and other non-domestic uses.
Green Tankers and Alternative District Plans
Hyderabad Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) officials confirmed that special green tankers are being deployed to supply treated wastewater for non-potable purposes. Separately, alternative supply plans are being drawn up for Medak, Nizamabad, Kamareddy, and Sangareddy districts, which rely on the Manjeera and Singur reservoirs — both facing limited availability. Borewells and other backup sources have already been identified in each of those districts.
60-Day Awareness Drive and Conservation Push
Chief Secretary Jaju emphasised that conserving just 20% of water across the three municipal corporations could save approximately 80 MGD every day — an amount large enough to meaningfully ease supply pressure. He directed officials to launch a stringent crackdown on the use of HMWSSB-supplied drinking water for vehicle washing.
A 60-day public awareness campaign on water conservation has been ordered, with instructions to enlist film stars, celebrities, and prominent personalities to drive public participation. Jaju asserted that the government is according the highest priority to drinking water supply and that there is no shortage of funds. He called upon every citizen to treat water as a precious resource and actively contribute to the state's collective El Niño response.
Point of View
But the reliance on a November pipeline deadline to add 20 MGD deserves scrutiny — infrastructure timelines in urban water projects routinely slip. The groundwater decline over just two to three months signals a deeper structural stress that no tanker deployment fully fixes. The 60-day celebrity-led awareness campaign is useful optics, but the harder task is enforcement: Hyderabad's habit of using treated piped water for vehicle washing is decades old and will need regulatory teeth, not just messaging, to change.
NationPress
13 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Hyderabad facing a potential water shortage?
The anticipated El Niño phenomenon has reduced water availability in the reservoirs that supply Hyderabad, including Osman Sagar, Himayat Sagar, and the Manjeera system. Groundwater levels have also declined significantly over the past two to three months compared to last year, increasing pressure on the city's supply network.
What is the government's plan to ensure uninterrupted water supply?
Telangana has drawn up a plan to mobilise an additional 60 MGD from the Krishna River, Mission Bhagiratha, and Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar. A further 20 MGD is expected once the Mallannasagar pipeline is completed in November, adding to the current 560 MGD available from five primary sources.
Which areas beyond Hyderabad are affected by the El Niño water stress?
Medak, Nizamabad, Kamareddy, and Sangareddy districts, which depend on the Manjeera and Singur reservoirs, are also facing limited water availability. The government has identified borewells and alternative sources in each of these districts as contingency measures.
What is Telangana doing to encourage water conservation?
Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju has ordered a 60-day public awareness campaign involving film stars and celebrities, a crackdown on using piped drinking water for vehicle washing, and mandatory full-capacity operation of sewage treatment plants in apartments and gated communities. HMWSSB is deploying special green tankers to supply treated wastewater for non-potable uses such as gardening and vehicle washing.
How much water could conservation efforts save in Hyderabad?
According to Chief Secretary Jaju, conserving just 20% of water across GHMC, MMC, and CMC areas could save approximately 80 MGD every day — a significant buffer that could ease supply pressure during the El Niño period.
