Soak Pits In Every Home Can Eliminate Need For Krishna Phase-IV: Water Board In Action Plan
Board managing director Ashok Reddy said effective rainwater harvesting could channel up to 10 tmc ft of water into the ground.
Hyderabad: The HMWS&SB said that it had rolled out a 100-day action plan with a strong push for mandatory soak pits (rainwater harvesting pits) in residential and commercial premises which if successful would eliminate the need for Krishna Drinking Water Supply Phase-IV.
Board managing director Ashok Reddy said effective rainwater harvesting could channel up to 10 tmc ft of water into the ground. “Current supplies are adequate for drinking needs. If every home harvests rainwater, the groundwater level will rise, borewells will revive, and crores spent on pumping water from distant reservoirs can be saved,” he said.
At an awareness programme in Madhapur, the MD said every house built on 200 square yards must install a soak pit, while premises above 300 square yards must compulsorily construct one. The initiative aims to increase groundwater recharge from GHMC limits up to the Outer Ring Road (ORR) through the ‘One home–one soak pit’ campaign.
Ashok Reddy lauded residents of an apartment complex in Kakatiya Hills, where an injection borewell has helped overcome water scarcity. He said the effort showed how public participation could deliver sustainable water conservation outcomes.
He said unchecked concretisation had severely reduced natural percolation of rainwater, causing groundwater levels to plunge. Despite Hyderabad receiving 85-89 cm of annual rainfall, only 0.75–0.95 per cent pf the percolated into the ground, with the rest flowing into stormwater drains and going to waste.
A recent field survey identified 40,209 premises, of which only 22,825 had soak pits; 17,384 did not. Notices have been issued to 16,000 households, and a plan is in place to cover another 25,000 homes by March.
To reduce tanker dependence, the Water Board has identified premises booking more than 20 tankers a month using CAN numbers.
Ashok Reddy said the board was preparing to implement four groundwater recharge models starting next week, including rooftop rainwater diversion into public soak pits, conversion of defunct borewells into injection borewells, and creation of community soak pits in gated communities, high-rises, public spaces, educational institutions and government complexes.