Water Board launches green tanker services to promote idea of conservation

In a major step by the State government towards conserving drinking water and promoting the reuse of treated sewage, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) on Sunday launched the innovative green water tanker programme across the city. The event also coincided with the Board’s 37th Foundation Day.

The initiative, according to officials, is a directive from Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, aimed at reducing the use of fresh drinking water for non-domestic purposes such as construction, landscaping, gardening, park maintenance and industrial activities.

Under the programme, treated wastewater from registered Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) will be supplied through specially branded green tanker trucks. The tankers prominently display stickers reading, ‘Strictly for non-domestic use and not for drinking’.

Launching the service at the Telangana Secretariat, HMWS&SB managing director K. Ashok Reddy said the initiative would help conserve precious drinking water resources, reduce dependence on groundwater and promote sustainable water management. He emphasised that drinking water should primarily be used for drinking and domestic needs, while treated wastewater should be utilised for all suitable non-potable purposes.

The Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Secretariat uses 250 kilolitres of drinking water a day, of which 50 KLD is used for non-drinking purposes. However, to meet these requirements, a pipeline will now be laid to supply treated water from a 20 MLD-capacity STP, thereby reducing the use of drinking water, officials explained.

In the initial phase, the services are being introduced through 19 STPs across the city and will operate with 28 green tankers. A phase-wise expansion will cover all divisions. To begin with, government departments, public parks and greenery-related requirements will be given priority.

The board said it had also received registrations from around 100 tankers belonging to GHMC, HMDA and private companies to participate in the green water supply initiative. Soon, a dedicated booking system, GPS tracking and e-POS systems will be implemented to ensure transparency in tanker management. Special officers have also been appointed at STPs to supervise tanker filling points, allocation, water quality and supply operations.