Hyderabad resident fined Rs. 1000 for misusing drinking water in Jubilee Hills

Hyderabad: An individual in Jubilee Hills was fined ₹1000 for using drinking water supplied by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) for purposes other than consumption.

The incident occurred when the Managing Director of the Water Board, Ashok Reddy, was traveling from Punjagutta to Jubilee Hills Main Road. During his journey, he noticed a water leakage on Road No. 78 and immediately directed the local General Manager to investigate.

Upon inspection, the division General Manager, Harishankar, and the local manager discovered that a person was washing his bike with drinking water. The matter was reported to the Managing Director, who expressed anger over the misuse of the resource.

Ashok Reddy ordered the relevant General Manager to issue a notice and impose a fine on the individual. The person was subsequently fined ₹1000 for the violation. The Managing Director also appealed to the public to avoid such misuse and warned that strict action would be taken against anyone engaging in similar activities.

The Water Board highlighted the importance of using drinking water responsibly, as it invests significant resources in treating and supplying water from distant areas. With the depletion of groundwater levels and increasing demand for water tankers in some areas, there are concerns about potential water shortages in the coming months.

The HMWSSB currently supplies 550 million gallons of water daily to the city, serving 13.7 lakh water connections within the GHMC and ORR limits. The cost of supplying 1,000 liters of water is ₹48. The Water Board has stated that any misuse of drinking water for purposes such as vehicle cleaning, gardening, or washing household surroundings will result in legal action.