Hyderabad Water Crisis: Lake Revival Alone Won’t Solve the Issue, Urban Planning Needed

Hyderabad has been facing a water crisis, with groundwater levels rapidly declining each year, especially since February. While efforts to rejuvenate lakes have brought some hope, experts warn that simply restoring lakes may not be enough to solve the city's water problems. A multi-faceted approach is needed to ensure long-term water conservation and recharge of groundwater.

Urbanization has significantly reduced the land available for water percolation. Three decades ago, around 60% of land, including lakes and open areas, allowed water to seep into the ground. However, with urbanization, this percentage has dropped to less than 25%, while over 75% of land is now concreted, blocking water absorption.

Stormwater management plays a critical role in solving this issue. In other cities, such as Bengaluru, the rejuvenation of lakes like Sarakki Lake has led to a rise in groundwater levels. However, experts emphasize that stormwater management is crucial to prevent efforts from going to waste. Data from the National Remote Sensing Centre reveals that Hyderabad has lost 61% of its lake area since 1979, with lakes like Ibrahim Cheruvu and Gurram Cheruvu drying up completely.

To address this, experts suggest implementing measures like permeable pavements and soakaway pits, which allow rainwater to seep into the ground and recharge groundwater levels. The "sponge city" model, being adopted by some cities, focuses on rainwater absorption and reuse through rain gardens, bioswales, and urban wetlands.

In addition to modern solutions, experts also advocate for restoring Hyderabad’s historic water-holding structures, such as stepwells and Bowlis. These ancient systems were once used to store and manage water. Hyderabad has over 6,000 Bowlis and more than 100 stepwells. While some have been successfully revived, many others are still being restored. For instance, the Bansilal Stepwell can hold up to 22 lakh liters of water, and a 900-year-old stepwell near Shamshabad has a capacity of 30-35 lakh liters.

Experts believe that a combination of lake rejuvenation, effective stormwater management, and the revival of historical water systems is necessary to tackle Hyderabad’s ongoing water crisis.