Latest news with #RWHS
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
The pits? Rainwater rule is a runoff in Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: As Hyderabad grapples with water shortages and drying borewells, rainwater harvesting remains largely ignored, despite clear mandates from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). Between 2020 and 2025, GHMC issued 69,575 building permits. Of these, 23,239 required rainwater harvesting structures (RWHS), yet only 33% complied. In 2024–25 alone, just 4,578 out of 11,509 approved buildings had soak pits. Only 2,036 received occupancy certificates, even though RWHS completion is mandatory. Water sustainability expert Kalpana Ramesh, founder of The Rainwater Project, attributed this to apathy and poor enforcement. 'Even large gated communities let lakhs of litres flow into drains. A 1,000 sq. ft terrace can harvest one lakh litres a year,' she told TNIE, adding that instead of harvesting, crores are spent on deep borewells tapping contaminated, non-renewable groundwater. She warned that rampant concrete construction blocks natural percolation, worsening the crisis. Conservationists are now demanding a zero-discharge policy, with penalties for diverting rainwater into stormwater drains (SWDs). 'If we're fined for sewage violations, why not for wasting clean rainwater?' Kalpana asked, noting that the lost water contributes to urban flooding. Follow-up inspections are lacking, too. Srinivasa Rao, general secretary of the United Federation of Resident Welfare Associations, said soak pits are often dismantled or repurposed as parking or landscaped areas. He suggested levying a 25% property tax penalty if RWHS is missing during random inspections. 'Guidelines alone don't help; we need enforcement,' he told TNIE. The urgency is growing. Many borewells in the city and outskirts went dry this summer, forcing residents to rely on costly water tankers. GHMC has issued advisories urging homeowners without soak pits to construct them immediately. Meanwhile, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) has deployed geologists to help design recharge systems as the monsoon arrives. Kalpana emphasised that Hyderabad receives enough rain. 'The problem is runoff, not shortage. If you're not harvesting rainwater or recycling greywater, you're part of the problem,' she said. Although the Water, Land and Trees Act (WALTA) mandates RWHS for properties over 200 sq. metres, weak enforcement renders it toothless. Notices to be issued to 16K households that failed to construct RWH pits: HMWSSB Hyderabad: HMWSSB has decided to issue notices to 16,000 households for failing to construct Rainwater Harvesting Structures (RWHS). So far, with the help of NGOs, 12,000 water harvesting pits have already been constructed and maintained. HMWSSB managing director K Ashok Reddy explained that the recent deficiency in rainfall has caused groundwater levels to decline in many areas, resulting in a steady increase in water tanker requests. To address this, RWHS are now mandatory for all households with plots larger than 300 square yards and recommended for those above 200 square yards. Following the directives of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, HMWSSB has initiated a three-month awareness campaign. Ashok Reddy further informed that water tankers are being delivered within 24 hours of booking. In summer, 11,000 tankers were delivered daily; at present, the demand stands at 8,500 tankers per day.
New Indian Express
7 days ago
- Climate
- New Indian Express
Bookings for water tanker surge by 36 per cent amid scanty rains in Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: With rainfall remaining scarce recently, Hyderabad is witnessing a sharp 36% spike in water tanker bookings compared to the same period last year. HMWSSB managing director K Ashok Reddy has directed officials to stay prepared for further increases in bookings, citing depleted groundwater levels across several parts of the city. Between July 1 and 14 last year, 63,724 tankers were booked, while this year, the number has jumped to 86,520. Out of the nearly 14 lakh connections under the Water Board's jurisdiction, around 42,000 households have relied on tankers for their water needs. However, just 500 users accounted for 31,000 tanker bookings during the 75-day summer stretch, while 22,000 users booked 90% of the total 2.84 lakh tankers. A survey conducted by HMWSSB revealed that many of these households lacked Rain Water Harvesting Structures (RWHS). In response, notices were issued and awareness campaigns launched, urging residents to construct RWHS pits within 90 days. So far, 16,000 property owners have received notices. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy stated that households larger than 300 square yards within the ORR must install RWHS pits. They warned of possible action, including increased tanker rates, for non-compliance. HMWSSB has been asked to identify and prepare a list of households without RWHS pits within the next month.
New Indian Express
11-07-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
GHMC collects crores, has no means to monitor RWHS pits
HYDERABAD: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has collected Rs 21.2 crore in the last five years as Rainwater Harvesting Structure (RWHS) charges from property owners seeking building permissions, yet nearly 40% of buildings above 200 square metres lack the mandatory RWHS pits. GHMC also collects development charges, labour cess, environmental impact fees, and open space contribution charges for building permissions. The GHMC mandates that owners construct RWHS at their own expense but offers no technical assistance and has no follow-up mechanism in place to ensure compliance or maintenance. In the last five years, the GHMC has approved 7,210 building permissions and issued 23,239 RWHS permissions. While the collected funds are intended to build pits in public spaces, both officials and surveys admit that many of these structures have become defunct due to poor upkeep. A survey conducted by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) on RWHS pits in buildings with an area above 300 square metres found that 40 per cent of the buildings lacked mandatory RWHS pits but were still given Occupancy Certificates (OCs). Even among the 60 per cent that had soak pits, many have become defunct due to lack of maintenance. The GHMC has admitted that it has no mechanism to check regular maintenance. Of the 42,784 surveyed premises, 22,825 were found to have RWHS, while 17,385 lacked them. Notices were issued to 16,190 owners to construct the RWHS. The HMWSSB has urged GHMC to ensure strict compliance with the rules before issuing Occupancy Certificates for any buildings above 200 square metres, as per the WALTA Act. It must check whether the owners have constructed RWHS pits; if not, their OC applications should be rejected.
New Indian Express
06-06-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Hyderabad homes skip rainwater pits, groundwater at risk
HYDERABAD: Despite clear rules, a majority of households in Hyderabad are failing to build rainwater harvesting structures (RWHS), raising concerns over groundwater depletion. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has issued nearly 69,575 building permits over the last five years (2020–2025), but only 23,239 homeowners constructed the mandatory soak pits, just one-third of the total. Authorities blame the dismal implementation on the lack of proper monitoring. RWHS pits are required for all residential buildings above 200 under the Water, Land and Trees Act (WALTA), but enforcement remains weak. Officials from the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) say occupancy certificates (OCs) should only be issued after verifying RWHS construction. However, this rule is often ignored as people don't bother applying for OCs. In 2024–25 alone, GHMC granted 11,509 building permissions, but only 4,578 property owners built soak pits. Of those, just 2,036 secured OCs. Overall, GHMC issued around 10,000 OCs in the last five years. GHMC says it is urging residents without RWHS to build them immediately, especially with the monsoon approaching. HMWSSB is also offering technical help through trained geologists. Rapid urbanisation has drastically reduced rainwater seepage, accelerating groundwater depletion. This summer, many borewells ran dry, pushing residents to depend on water tankers — a crisis that could worsen without stricter implementation of rainwater harvesting rules, said officials.
New Indian Express
29-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Hyberabad Minister Ponnam Prabhakar reviews Hyderabad's monsoon readiness
HYDERABAD: Hyderabad in-charge Minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Wednesday said that the state government would take necessary steps to ensure that residents of the city do not face difficulties due to ongoing rainfall. Prabhakar held a review meeting with Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) managing director K Ashok Reddy and senior officials at the Water Board office in Khairatabad. The meeting focused on the 90-day monsoon plan and ongoing project works. Prabhakar directed officials, from directors to field staff to remain alert during the monsoon season, particularly regarding drinking water supply and sewage management. Stating that GHMC and the Board have identified 146 waterlogging points for regular monitoring, he instructed officials to prevent sewage overflow and ensure the use of residual chlorine to avoid contamination. The minister said notices had been issued to 16,000 residents to construct Rain Water Harvesting Structure (RWHS) pits. He urged those owning properties above 300 square yards within ORR limits to comply. He reviewed the Water Board's financial condition, suggesting measures to boost revenue, curb water wastage and leakages, and take action against illegal sewage connections. Fresh tenders for streetlights maintenance Hyderabad: The GHMC Standing Committee has unanimously approved the call for fresh tenders to maintain 5.42 lakh LED streetlights across the city. Until a new agency is finalised, GHMC's Zonal Commissioners will oversee maintenance, procurement and repairs. Following the expiry of its contract with M/s Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) last month, the GHMC Electrical Wing had placed two proposals before the committee: renewing the EESL contract under revised terms or inviting new tenders
