As the population of Hyderabad continues to rise, the demand for water is also increasing year by year. According to the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) official data, the water demand in 2015 was 500 million gallons per day (mgd). This demand increased to 609 mgd by 2020 and is projected to reach 680 mgd by 2025.
The UN World Urbanisation Prospects 2018 report, released in April 2024, estimates Hyderabad’s population at 11,068,877. The Hyderabad district covers an area of approximately 217 square kilometers. According to the 2011 census, the population of this district was 3,943,323. The HMWSSB service area now spans 688.24 sq. km, following the incorporation of surrounding peripheral areas from 10 municipalities.
The HMWSSB supplies water to the Hyderabad, Rangareddy, and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts. A Water Board official reported that over the last 10 years, the total water supply was 340 mgd, sourced from Osman Sagar (25 mgd), Himayat Sagar (15 mgd), Manjeera or Singur (120 mgd), and Krishna Phases I and II (90 mgd). With the completion of Krishna Phase III and Godavari Phase I in 2015, the total installed capacity from all sources increased to 602 mgd. Currently, 570 mgd is being supplied based on source availability.
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To address the water supply deficit, HMWSSB has implemented source augmentation projects from the Godavari and Krishna rivers, adding 172 mgd from Godavari Phase I and 90 mgd through Krishna Phase III in 2015. Further water supply infrastructure projects have been undertaken in peripheral circles, including the construction of 280 million liters of storage reservoirs and a 2,100 km pipeline network, which have been commissioned.
Currently, 20,000 liters of free water supply are provided to all citizens in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) area. Consumers using more than 20,000 liters are charged a water cess according to the norms. The HMWSSB also collects a sewerage cess at 35 percent of water supply bills from customers.
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