Hyderabad: Thousands of illegal water connections hit board revenue

HYDERABAD: Thousands of illegal drinking water connections across the city are causing heavy revenue losses to the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB).

Recently, officials found residents of an apartment complex in Red Hills, Division 4, using unauthorised water connections. Police have booked 49 people in connection with the case.

The city has 14.2 lakh registered water connections, but officials believe the number of illegal connections is significantly higher. According to board estimates, nearly 34% of the water supplied every day does not get accounted for in billing.

Staff collusion alleged

Officials suspect the involvement of some HMWSSB employees in the racket. A senior officer said some staff members ignored violations for years while allegedly collecting monthly bribes from households with illegal connections. “In the recently detected case, the cover-up happened because of insider involvement,” the officer added.

Vigilance role questioned

The board has a vigilance wing, but its staff are reportedly confined to security duties at the head office instead of acting against water theft, illegal pipelines and motor installations.

Crackdown planned

The board has now decided to launch a special drive against unauthorised connections. It will verify every connection, prepare accurate records, and match water supply with billing across different areas. Officials will also identify unaccounted water at each reservoir and hold local managers responsible. Police and elected representatives are likely to be involved in inspections.

At present, the board supplies 550 million gallons daily (MGD) at a monthly expenditure of ₹268 crore, but earns only about ₹129 crore in revenue.