Groundwater levels in and around Hyderabad plummet by one metre in one month

The groundwater levels continue to plummet in and around Hyderabad. The image is used for representative purposes only.

Groundwater levels in Telangana’s three Municipal Corporations, in and around Hyderabad, fell by 1.01 metre below ground level (m bgl) in one month. From 11.58 m bgl in September this year, it dropped to 12.59 m bgl in October, indicating borewells have to go deeper to tap groundwater.

The deepest of 22.88 m bgl was recorded in Kukatpally and the shallowest of 2.35 m bgl in Shaikpet, as per Telangana Ground Water Department’s October report, collected through 107 Piezometers, on the levels in areas under Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) and Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation (MMC).

Deeper water level of over 20 m bgl covered nearly 12% of the Corporations, covering parts of Ameerpet mandal in Hyderabad district; Kukatpally, Bachupally, Quthbullapur, Dundigal and Medipally mandals in Medchal Malkajgiri; and Saroornagar, Hayatnagar, Rajendranagar, Shankarpalli and Serilingampally in Rangareddy districts.

The deepest groundwater levels of 22.88 m bgl in Kukatpally was followed by 21.81 m bgl in Shankarpalli, 20.31 m bgl in Medipally, 19.32 m bgl in Hayatnagar, 17.89 m bgl in Malkajgiri, 17.15 m bgl in Ameerpet, 17.02 m bgl in Quthbullapur, 16.93 m bgl in Saroornagar, 16.54 m bgl in Patancheruvu and 15.52 m bgl in Uppal.

Patches in red indicate groundwater is more than 20 metres below ground level, in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Cyberabad Municipal Corporation and Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation, as recorded in October 2026.

The water levels dropped when the areas recorded a 34% rain deficit between June 1 and October 31. It received 484 mm rainfall against the normal of 729 mm. Out of 46 mandals in the urban limits, six mandals received normal rainfall and the remaining 40 recorded deficit rainfall ranging between 21% and 51%.

People have been concerned over falling groundwater levels and potential shortage in the coming months due to the impact of El Nino weather phenomena.

Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) took action against illegal groundwater extraction by removing borewells near waterbodies, including Sunnam Cheruvu, Fox Sagar lake, and other places. Following this, people lodged complaints during the agency’s Prajavani (public grievance programme) on Monday (November 2, 2026) to take action against illegal borewells drawing water from 600 to 1000 metres near waterbodies, depleting the natural resource available in surrounding colonies. After a protest and a meeting with HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath, the Water Tankers Association of Hyderabad agreed to collect borewell water — after requisite permission from concerned authorities — for their tankers from the Peri Urban Region (PURE) outside the Outer Ring Road, as per official information.

Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) too took action against those illegally attaching motors to drinking water supply pipelines to draw water directly from the water mains.

It has been urging people to conserve drinking water as well. HMWSSB has warned of penalties for using drinking water to wash vehicles, floors, or other forms of wastage. It has launched the PAANI app for people to register as water warriors and report incidents of water wastage. The Board is promoting best practices by people to conserve water. It has recently appreciated a water warrior who collected water let out after purification in RO into buckets to clear utensils and mop floors at house.