With soaring temperatures, depleted groundwater levels and delayed monsoon showers, Hyderabad is witnessing one of its worst drinking water crises in recent years. Residents across several localities are struggling with irregular water supply, forcing many to depend on private and government tankers.
The scale of the crisis has led to a sharp rise in tanker demand, with daily bookings crossing 15,000 during the last week of May, significantly higher than projections made by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB).
According to HMWS&SB Managing Director K Ashok Reddy, the situation has worsened due to the drying up of bore wells that had remained functional for years.
"Normally, tanker bookings begin increasing from January. Earlier, we used to receive around 1,500 to 2,000 tanker bookings per day across Hyderabad. This year, the demand has risen sharply as groundwater levels have fallen and many bore wells that had never dried up in the last four to five years have gone dry," he said.
Anticipating a difficult summer, the Water Board had expanded infrastructure to supply around 13,000 tankers daily.
However, demand exceeded expectations, forcing authorities to introduce night operations and run services in three shifts to meet requirements.
Officials said efforts are being made to ensure tanker deliveries within 24 hours, though delays continue to be reported, particularly in western parts of the city where groundwater depletion is more severe.
Residents across several localities have complained of severe disruptions in water supply.
In some areas, municipal water is supplied only once every four to five days, forcing households to ration water for daily use.
A resident from Hyderabad’s Musheerabad said, "Water supply has been reduced to once every four to five days. Even after booking tankers, they are not available on time. We are facing immense hardship in managing daily household needs."
Concerns have also been raised about water quality. A resident from Rasoolpura alleged, "Apart from the shortage, we are receiving contaminated water in the taps. Despite repeated complaints, no concrete action has been taken by the authorities. People are worried about health issues as well as the lack of drinking water."
The worsening situation has triggered political criticism. BJP Telangana president Ramchander Rao accused the Congress government of failing to address the issue.
"Hyderabad is reeling under severe water scarcity. The government must take immediate measures to address the crisis and ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply to residents," he said.
He further added, "The Hyderabad city is dealing with water scarcity. The state government has not taken any steps to address this issue. The government is negligent on this issue. They are only concerned about politics and vote-bank politics of the Majlis party. And for this situation, the Majlis party and the Congress party are both responsible because today the municipal corporation, till yesterday, was with them".
He demanded that this water scarcity problem should be addressed by pressing into the available sources of water, which is the Krishna Phase 1 and then Manjira. "The government has to take steps to see that the water problem for Hyderabad should be solved".
Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao also attacked the Congress government over the water crisis, claiming that Hyderabad did not face water or electricity shortages during the previous BRS regime.
"The government here is a failure. When KCR was in power, there was no shortage of water or electricity. Today there is a problem in both. Mr Revanth Reddy had promised that he would bring back the old days. Yes, he has brought back the old days. The days of the government of Congress before 2014," he said.
Rama Rao also referred to the Sunkishala project, a key initiative aimed at strengthening Hyderabad's water supply, and alleged that an accident at the project site had affected its progress. He claimed that the retaining wall had collapsed and alleged that despite recommendations from the Hyderabad Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board to blacklist the contractor, no action was taken by the government.
He further linked the current tanker dependence to what he described as a lack of long-term planning and leadership.
"If the CM has vision. If the leader has a vision. Then it is also necessary to give 24 hours water," he said.
BRS leader Muta Jaisimha said, "There are major issues of water, contaminated water, no supply for 4–5 days. People were waiting in queue for tankers, yet no tankers were available. The CM is himself the MA&UD Minister, he is the chairman of HMWS&SB and a total collapse can be seen."
Hyderabad currently requires between 700 and 750 million gallons of drinking water every day, a figure that continues to rise as temperatures soar.
Officials are pinning hopes on the Godavari Phase-II and Phase-III drinking water projects, which are expected to add nearly 300 MGD of supply by next year.
For now, however, the city's immediate hopes rest on the skies.
Until substantial monsoon rains arrive, Hyderabad's growing dependence on tankers is likely to continue, exposing the strain on a water system struggling to keep pace with a city that is getting thirstier by the day.
