Water table plunges across city, Quthbullapur worst hit at 104 ft

Hyderabad: Groundwater levels in the city have dropped sharply this summer, with Quthbullapur recording the city’s lowest water table in recent years at a depth of 104 feet, according to the latest data released by the Telangana groundwater department.This is the first time in recent years that groundwater levels in Hyderabad have fallen below the 100-foot mark. During the same period last year, the groundwater level in Quthbullapur stood at around 91 feet.The worsening summer conditions and rising water demand have worsened the depletion across several parts of the city. Localities such as Malkajgiri, SR Nagar, Marredpally, Chengicherla and Jeedimetla have already witnessed groundwater levels plunging to depths of 60 to 70 feet.In densely populated Kukatpally, groundwater has dipped to nearly 90 feet, increasing dependence on municipal supply and private tankers as several borewells have gone dry. Residents across Hyderabad are currently booking nearly 11,000 water tankers every day to meet domestic needs.Experts attribute the alarming decline mainly to excessive groundwater extraction and rapid urbanisation in Quthbullapur and surrounding areas. “Large-scale construction activity in and around Quthbullapur, extending towards Kukatpally and nearby localities, has intensified groundwater pumping, significantly affecting water availability,” said B Venkateswara Rao, retired professor at the Centre for Water Resources, JNTU Hyderabad.Groundwater department data showed that moderately deep water levels between 15 and 20 metres below ground level account for nearly 26% of the city, largely across northern, north-western and eastern regions. Meanwhile, areas with water levels deeper than 20 metres below ground level cover nearly 10% of Hyderabad, including parts of Bachupally, Dundigal, Saroornagar, Rajendranagar and Serilingampally in Rangareddy district.Officials said unchecked urban expansion has severely affected groundwater recharge. The rapid increase in built-up areas has reduced open spaces, limiting rainwater percolation. They also noted that many apartment complexes lack functional recharge pits, while stormwater is often diverted into drainage systems instead of being conserved for groundwater replenishment.However, 26 mandals recorded an improvement in groundwater levels, with increase ranging up to 8.72 metres above the decadal average for April. Notably, 12 mandals recorded a rise of more than 2 metres compared to the average groundwater levels observed during April over the last decade.