Drinking water crisis looms large in AP

Visakhapatnam: A severe drinking water crisis looms large over Andhra Pradesh as the summer advances. Prolonged drought conditions in various parts of the state may throw major towns and cities across the 13 districts into acute water shortage. All major reservoirs and local tanks have almost dried up. Adding to this, there is a steep fall in the groundwater table thanks to the bad monsoon last year.
According to data prepared by the municipal administration and urban development department (MA&UD), drinking water supply quantity (DWSQ) rate drastically fell in the last five months in all 110 urban local bodies in the state.Based on the existing DWSQ rate, the period of sustainability for most of the civic bodies is less than one month. This in other words means that the civic bodies will be able to supply drinking water for only one month, according to a senior MA&UD official.
The DWSQ registered 1,541 million litres per day (MLD) in February against its average of 1,660 MLD. Similarly in January this year, the DWSQ rate registered 1,540 MLD against its average of 1,660 MLD, a gap of 120 MLD. In December 2015, the DWSQ registered was 1,563 MLD against average of 1,658 MLD, while in November, it was 1,538 MLD against the normal of 1,654 MLD. In October it stood at 1,536 MLD against the normal of 1,642 MLD in the state urban local bodies (ULBs).
Meanwhile, the status of borewells in the state indicates that the alternative water sources is not good for use during emergency situations in the summer, the official added.
According to the reports, the state has as many as 39,887 borewells in 110 towns and cities. They include 34,797 hand borewells and 5,090 power borewells. Of the total, 1,738 borewells are dry and 498 borewells broken. Total 118 borewells were repaired by the government as on date. Currently, 37,769 are running.
When compared with the drinking water supply report of ULBs in February, total 30 ULBs successfully supplied drinking water twice in a day in 2015, while only 24 ULBs could do so this year. The water supply quantity decreased in 72 ULBs in the state out of the 110 in February this year, the report said.
Currently, Kovvur, Bheemavaram, Kurnool, Rajahmundry, Vijayawada and Palacole municipal corporations are on top on successfully supplying more than 135 litres per person per day water. Kadiri, Srikalahasti, Guntakal, Mandapeta, Amalapuram, Nagari and Atmakur are able to supply below 100 litres per person per day of water. Vizag civic body is currently supplying 110.57 litres per person per day, the MAUD's report said.
A senior official from the GVMC said that the normal supply of the water in GVMC is 225 MLD including 211 MLD from surface water sources and 14 MLD from the groundwater sources. The main water sources for the GVMC is Gambheeram, Thatipudi, Meghadrigedda, Yeleru and Godavari. Total 68,848 below poverty line connections receive tap water supply from the GVMC, excluding Bheemili and Anakapalli. The corporation has 7,778 hand bore pumps to meet the need in emergency situation for the public.