This summer, the demand for water tankers in Hyderabad has steadily increased over the past four months. As of May 17, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has completed 1.41 lakh water tanker trips to paid consumers since the beginning of the month. Officials from the Hyderabad Water Board reported a significant rise in the demand for water tankers this summer, reaching record levels in many localities dependent on them.
Since February, there has been a surge in water tanker bookings, with around 77,220 bookings made this year compared to 56,144 bookings last year. In March, approximately 1.70 lakh tanker trips were made, while in April, the number rose to 2.38 lakh trips for consumers in Greater Hyderabad and its periphery. From May 1 to 17, the Water Board made 1.41 lakh trips by water tankers. Most bookings came from the western parts of the city, including Manikonda, Banjara Hills, Kukatpally, Miyapur, Hafeezpet, and Gachibowli.
During a recent review meeting, the Hyderabad Water Board revealed they are now delivering tankers within 24 hours to consumers. This improvement is due to an increased fleet of tankers and the opening of additional filling stations. Typically, Water Board tankers are in demand from the second or third week of March each year. However, this year, due to depleting groundwater levels, the demand for tankers began in the third week of February. Most localities within GHMC limits rely on groundwater. In response to the increased demand, several measures have been taken to ensure an adequate water supply within GHMC limits.