50 per cent of water in Hyderabad is untreated, wasted
Hyderabad: Hyderabad has a poor water recycling system, with 1,350-1,500 million litres a day (MLD) of grey water being generated and 50 per cent of the waste water let into the Musi without treatment. The same water, if treated, can be used for the city and this would help save groundwater.
The government, in its Rs 1,000-crore budget to the GHMC, has now sanctioned Rs 370 crore for sewerage treatment plants at Musi riverfront. Major waste water contributors are residential, commercial, industrial units. This means the per capita water used per head is 150 litres, of which 80 per cent becomes sewerage water.
HMWS&SB managing director Mr. M. Dana Kishore said: “Large contributors are household and commercial (hotels, hostels, hospitals and function halls). The board is able to treat 50 per cent of the wasted water (750 MLD) while the rest is let into Musi, due to insufficient STPs. If 100 per cent of the sewerage water is treated, this will help replenish groundwater through harvesting pits and this can also be let into streams and lakes, which can be used for agricultural purpose. People should consider water as an essential commodity and ‘must’ try to reduce wastage.”
The water board has also put on sale recycled water. Citizens can purchase treated water at a price of Rs 100-120 for 5,000 litres, available at 14 HMWS&SB sewerage treatment plants across various divisions. This water can be utilised for anything, except for drinking purpose. The board appealed to residential and commercial outlets to set up their own STPs.