Vizag IT Hub Faces Water Stress, Firms Urged to Conserve
Water consumption at the two campuses has risen from about 4.5 MLD three to four years ago to nearly 6.2 MLD over the past 18 months.
Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam’s IT corridor is facing a water shortage, with declining groundwater levels and borewell yields prompting the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) to urge companies at its Hill No. 2 and Hill No. 3 campuses to restrict consumption to essential needs.
APIIC can currently draw about 5-5.2 million litres per day (MLD), against the normal supply capacity of 6.5 MLD. Water consumption at the two campuses has risen from about 4.5 MLD three to four years ago to nearly 6.2 MLD over the past 18 months.
Around 15 companies, including Infosys and Cognizant, operate from the two campuses and employ nearly 5,000 people.
Despite running available pumping motors for 12 to 15 hours a day, APIIC is unable to fully meet demand.
To augment supplies, APIIC has identified two borewells near Krishna Miniplex. The corporation plans to install higher-capacity motors and lay a pipeline to connect them to the Hill No. 3 sump.
APIIC engineering wing deputy zonal manager Kishore is scheduled to inspect the site on Saturday and prepare estimates. The proposed works could take two to three weeks after approval.
APIIC is also preparing a broader water-supply augmentation plan for the two campuses, expected to be finalised in the next two to three weeks.
Meanwhile, companies have been asked to avoid non-essential use and maintain moderate consumption.
