Groundwater levels fall sharply as Telangana braces for further rainfall deficits. (File Image)

Hyderabad: Telangana could be heading towards a double whammy on water availability in the coming months with the state’s groundwater levels expected to plummet, causing additional water stress to the already poor overall surface water storage in the state’s reservoirs.

Government officials expect that with the just-ended southwest monsoon season leaving the state with a net overall 17 per cent deficit, and the IMD predicting that the situation is not going to change at least till the end of this year, the demand on groundwater coupled with further rainfall deficits, will lay enormous stress on groundwater reserves in Telangana.

Based on the expectations that the state could see a rainfall deficit of up to 30 per cent in October, cropping patterns and local geology, officials fear that in some districts, groundwater levels could plummet by a whopping six metres from their levels at the end of September.

According to data from the latest El Nino Weekly Bulletin for the week ending September 30 issued by the state agriculture department, the statewide groundwater levels deepened from 7.52 metres below ground level (MBGL) to 11.24 MBGL by the end of the month.

Meanwhile, the state capital, Hyderabad, which is expected to face a drinking water supply crunch in the months to come once the supplies from Singur reservoir, which account for around 40 per cent of the city’s supplies dry up in the next 70 days or so, could see its groundwater levels fall from the average 10.01 metres below ground level (MBGL) in September, to 14.05 MBGL in October.

The average groundwater level fall in September 2026 was 6.44 metres deeper than in September 2025, as per the state groundwater department.

During September, the shallowest average groundwater level, at 3.56 MBGL was observed in Khammam district, while the deepest average level, at 11.96 MBGL, was observed in Vikarabad district.

Infograph

What the future holds…

District – September – October*

Adilabad – 4.05 – 10.55

Bhadradri Kothagudem– 7.30 – 11.99

Hanamkonda – 5.98 – 9.60

Hyderabad – 10.01 – 14.05

Jagtial – 3.65 – 8.12

Kamareddy – 8.64 – 15.93

Khammam – 3.56 – 10.79

Mancherial – 4.18 – 10.54

Medak – 9.68 – 16.84

Medchal-Malkajgiri– 11.64 – 16.78

Nirmal – 6.07- 11.59

Nizamabad – 8.63 – 15.17

Ranga Reddy – 11.74 – 16.87

Sangareddy – 11.21 – 16.64

Rajanna Sircilla – 7.36 – 14.21

Vikarabad – 11.96 – 16.11

All figures in metres below ground level (MBGL)

* Predicted water levels based on rainfall deficit, local geology, cropping/extraction patterns

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