Rainwater Harvesting Pits Help Hyderabad Residents
Rainwater harvesting pits are proving to be a great relief for residents in Hyderabad this summer. In areas like Begumpet, Malkajgiri, Tarnaka, and LB Nagar, people are not struggling to get water tankers because the groundwater levels remain steady, even in the hot season.
While many parts of the city are facing a water crisis, some residential colonies have taken a sustainable approach to conserve water. Societies such as Umangar and Methodist Colony in Begumpet, Devi Nagar and RK Nagar in Malkajgiri, as well as a few gated communities in LB Nagar and Gachibowli, have installed rainwater harvesting pits. These pits store rainwater during the monsoon, ensuring a sufficient water supply during summer.
BT Srinivasam, General Secretary of the Federation of Malkajgiri Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and a known water conservation advocate, explained how RWAs have played a key role in saving water. He recalled that in 2009, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation introduced a scheme to reimburse 70% of the cost of rainwater harvesting pits for households that built them. “In our colony, we have around 100 water harvesting pits, and for the past five years, we haven’t needed water tankers,” he said.
Karunakar Reddy, a resident of Sahara Estates in LB Nagar, shared a similar experience. “While bore wells in many areas have dried up, our groundwater levels are sufficient for the next year. We have 14 rainwater catchment and harvesting pits, with a capacity to conserve 120 million liters per year,” he said.
Major Shiva Kiran, Vice President of the United Federation of RWAs and a resident of Methodist Colony, also highlighted the benefits of rainwater harvesting. “It has been over 10 years since we built water harvesting pits and three injection bores, and the water yield is still good. Our hand pump borewell is still functional, proving how effective this method is,” he said.
He further emphasized that constructing bore wells is both cost-effective and easy. He urged the government to encourage more people to build rainwater harvesting pits near bore wells. This would reduce the need for frequent cleaning and provide long-term water security.
