Months before the peak summer heat arrives, Hyderabad is already grappling with a severe groundwater crisis. Data reveals a worrying trend of rapidly depleting water tables across the city, particularly in its fast-developing western regions, pushing several areas into the critical 'red zone'.
Alarming Depths: Key Areas in Distress
Fresh statistics from the Telangana groundwater department paint a concerning picture for the winter months. By December, groundwater levels in Quthbullapur had plunged to 18 metres, while Kukatpally saw levels at 16 metres. In the rapidly urbanising hub of Patancheru, the water table dropped to 10 metres, indicating stress much earlier than the typical summer scarcity period.
The crisis is not isolated to the western corridor. In the north-eastern belt, Malkajgiri recorded groundwater at around 13 metres. Significant depletion was also observed in Bandlaguda, Medipally, Gandipet, and Rajendranagar. Notably, Ameerpet, which experienced repeated flooding during the monsoon, reported low groundwater levels of about 16 metres, underscoring the city's poor capacity for rainwater recharge.
The Scale of the Problem
Across Greater Hyderabad, 13 out of 46 mandals have registered groundwater levels that are cause for alarm. The citywide average depth to groundwater dropped by a full metre in just one month, moving from 5.9 metres in November to 6.9 metres in December. This rapid decline highlights the accelerating pace of depletion. For context, the average depth to groundwater in Hyderabad in December 2024 stood at approximately 8 metres.
Causes and Missed Enforcement
Experts point to a combination of rampant over-extraction and unchecked urbanisation as the root causes. The shrinking of open spaces and the disappearance of natural recharge zones mean that even substantial monsoon rains fail to percolate down and replenish the aquifers. The proliferation of borewells in both residential and commercial areas has exacerbated the situation.
B Venkateswara Rao, a water resources expert from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad, highlighted critical failures in urban planning and regulation. "Most apartment complexes do not have recharge pits, leaving little scope for rainwater to seep into the ground. Instead, stormwater is quickly diverted into drains. Moreover, the Water, Land and Trees Act (WALTA), 2002, is not being enforced effectively," he stated.
A Glimmer of Improvement in Long-Term View
Despite the immediate concerns, groundwater department officials provided a comparative perspective that shows some improvement from pre-monsoon conditions. An official noted that groundwater levels in December showed a net rise of 5.41 metres compared to the pre-monsoon levels of May 2025.
Furthermore, when compared to the decadal average for December (2015–2024), groundwater levels showed a rise in 28 mandals, ranging from marginal increases to a significant 13.4-metre improvement. "Of these, 12 mandals recorded an improvement of over 2 metres compared to the long-term December average," the official added. This data suggests that while the seasonal depletion is severe, annual recharge efforts during the monsoon still have a positive net effect, though it may not be sufficient to counter the long-term trend of overuse.
