From filth to metals: Hyderabad drinking water sources a cocktail of toxins; sewage, effluents and ageing pipelines to blame

HYDERABAD: The city draws 600 million gallons per day (MGD) of water every day from six sources — Osmansagar, Himayatsagar, Singur, Manjira, Akkampally (Krishna) and Sripada Yellampalli (Godavari). Of these, Osmansagar, Himayatsagar, Akkampally (Krishna) and Sripada Yellampalli (Godavari) show varying levels of pollutions, pointed out studies. Among the four, the condition of Osmansagar is most critical.

“The presence of faecal contamination clearly indicates hazards associated with exposure and usage,” said a researcher from the Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) quoting from a study, ‘Assessment of Water Quality of Osmansagar’ conducted by a team of scholars and published in Sep 2025. As per the study, the water quality index is ‘very poor’.

Reason: Untreated sewage flowing from nearby residential areas. Also, it is surrounded by industries, which discharge effluents into the lake. “The use of pesticides and fertilisers in surrounding agricultural fields also contributes to the contamination of the lake,” the study highlighted, stressing the need to “find where the contamination is occurring and plug that gap”. “This should be done through stricter regulation on local industries and businesses and educating local citizens on disposing waste material,” it recommended.

Krishna, Godavari under industrial stressA report by the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Warangal, released inMarch, 2025 on the Krishna river highlighted how pollution originates from multiple industrial clusters in Telangana, including pharmaceutical units, heavy water production facilities and synthetic chemical industries. Nagarjunasagar, from where Krishna water is drawn and pumped to Hyderabad, was identified as a key affected stretch.

“Industrial pollution hotspots have been identified in districts such as Medak, where unregulated industrial activities contribute significantly to river pollution,” the NIT report stated, raising an alarm over quality of water supplied to both urban areas and irrigation.

Similarly, a joint study by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and IIT-Hyderabad pointed out that untreated wastewater is discharged directly into the Godavari river from Ramagundam and Mancherial regions. The report also flagged a landfill operated by the Ramagundam Municipal Corporation, located dangerously close to the river.

Notably, the Sripada Yellampalli project in Peddapalli district — from where around 162 MGD of Godavari water is drawn to Hyderabad — lies downstream of these pollution sources, raising concerns over source-level contamination.

“From interstate water disputes to climate change impacts and deforestation, the basin grapples with complex issues that require urgent attention and sustainable solutions. These pollution sources have led to degradation of water quality, impacts on aquatic ecosystems, health risks for populations using the river water,and challenges for water treatment facilities,” the study noted.

Ageing pipelines pose additional riskExperts also warn about Hyderabad’s ageing pipeline network posing additional risk to drinking water safety. Frequent leakages, corroded pipelines and proximity of water supply lines to sewerage networks significantly increase the chances of cross-contamination.

“We are constantly at risk because drinking water pipelines and sewer lines often run parallel or intersect at multiple points. With invisible cracks, weak joints and ageing infrastructure, contamination can occur anywhere, anytime. This is not a hypothetical risk — it is a real and present danger,” said Anant Maringanti, director, Hyderabad Urban Lab.