Localities such as Venkatnagar in Mahendra Hills and Riyasatnagar division are among the worst affected, residents complained.
Hyderabad: Clean drinking water, a basic necessity, has become a daily struggle for residents in several parts of Hyderabad, with complaints of discoloured and foul-smelling water continuing for weeks — and in some areas, over two months. Localities such as Venkatnagar in Mahendra Hills and Riyasatnagar division are among the worst affected, residents complained.
Despite repeated complaints to the Water Board, no lasting solution has been provided. Board sources attribute the issue to old pipelines and underground leakages. “Even with new pipelines, a minor leak can lead to contamination,” an official explained.
In Venkatnagar, behind Delhi Public School at Mahendra Hills, around 10 households have been receiving reddish or yellowish water with a foul odour. “We’ve been facing this for over two months. Even after escalating the issue to senior officials, the complaints are closed every four days. Only when we call again, they reopen them,” Satyanarayana Rama, a resident, told Deccan Chronicle.
Another resident, G. Vasantha, said they followed the Water Board’s suggestion to replace old GI (galvanised iron) pipes with MDPE (medium density polyethylene) pipes, but the problem persisted. “We’re still getting the same polluted water,” she said. Residents also feared the health impact of consuming this water. “Children keep falling sick with fevers. It’s clearly because of the water,” said S. Amtul, another resident.
Responding to the concerns, Vidya Sagar, deputy general manager of HMWS&SB, said, “This may be due to pipeline leakages. Venkatnagar is at the end of the supply line, which might be why it’s affected. It’s not polluted water, but discoloured water. We’re checking chlorine levels regularly and will replace the pipes soon.”
The situation in parts of the Riyasatnagar division was also the same, at Jangammet, Chawni, Nagole Banda and RN Colony. Rahmat Ali, a resident of Jangammet, said, “This has been going on since Ramzan. We’re getting yellowish water and many people are falling sick. I’ve had stomach issues several times. We’ve complained, but there’s been no solution yet.”
V. Srinu, from Riyasatnagar division, said, “This has become a major issue, authorities need to resolve it immediately.” While officials cite technical issues like old pipelines or leaks, the bigger question remains, are they unaware of the exact leakage points even after residents have been receiving polluted water for months or is it negligence in responding to long-pending complaints.
