Water Board Completes 24,000 Rainwater Harvesting Pits; MD Urges Mandatory Structures in Plots Above 200 Sq Yards

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) has completed 24,000 rainwater harvesting pits across the city and converted 40 unused borewells into injection borewells as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen groundwater recharge and promote water conservation.

Water Board Managing Director Ashok Reddy inaugurated newly constructed rainwater harvesting pits at the KBHB Park area in Kukatpally and virtually launched 40 borewells that have been converted into injection borewells for groundwater recharge.

Speaking at a water conservation awareness programme, Ashok Reddy said the Board is working towards a target of constructing 30,000 rainwater harvesting pits across the city. He added that 700 non-functional borewells have been identified for conversion into injection borewells, with 350 already converted.

He said rainwater harvesting is crucial for improving groundwater levels and ensuring long-term water security. Stressing the need for public participation, he urged households, apartment complexes and commercial establishments to install rainwater harvesting pits and support water conservation initiatives.

Ashok Reddy said every drop of rainwater is a valuable asset for future generations and appreciated residents of the Kukatpally Housing Board Colony for voluntarily constructing a rainwater harvesting pit.

The MD advised homeowners with plots larger than 200 square yards to install rainwater harvesting structures. He noted that if such systems are adopted across residential communities, between 5 and 10 TMC of rainwater could be recharged into the ground, helping meet the city's future water needs.

He also said small changes in daily water-use habits could reduce water consumption by nearly 30 per cent and called upon citizens to treat water conservation as a shared responsibility.

Water Board officials, public representatives, colony welfare association members and local residents participated in the programme.