The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has initiated measures to check pollution in drinking water supply in view of the incessant rains for the past one week in the city.
Three stages of chlorination are being done for the water being supplied to households, first at the water treatment plants, next at the main balancing reservoirs, and finally, booster chlorination at the service reservoirs, before supply.
Managing director of the water board, M. Dana Kishore shared details of his tour to the localities served by the board’s reservoir at Patigadda in Begumpet. He checked the water for quality parameters and expressed satisfaction, before enquiring with people about supply.
Mr.Dana Kishore said measures are being taken to ensure that the water being supplied contained 0.5 ppm of chlorine. Water board is taking all precautions to maintain the water quality as per the prescribed ISO 10500-2012 standards and every day, 15,000 tests are being conducted across the city for chlorine content, he added.
The water board is being extra cautious about drinking water supply to slums, flood-affected regions and low-lying areas, as they are more prone to receiving polluted water. the quality is being monitored with regard to even stored water inside the households, through supply of chlorine tablets. So far, the board has supplied 5 lakh chlorine tablets in slums, flood-affected areas and low-lying localities for mixing in stored water. Another 5 lakh tablets have been kept ready for distribution.
People are also being trained in usage of the chlorine tablets, to prevent water-borne diseases this monsoon.
For emergency response, 16 monsoon safety teams have been kept ready, with five members in each team. The teams are equipped with special vehicles, which will each contain a de-watering motor to remove stagnant water. The teams are visiting the waterlogged localities and helping in evacuation of the water. Sixteen mini jetting machines, too, have been kept handy 24x7, so that clogged drains are cleared wherever necessary.
Mr.Dana Kishore cautioned citizens against opening the manhole covers in any circumstances. Opening a manhole is a crime under the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply Sewerage Act, and offenders will be prosecuted for the same, he said. In case manhole covers are found damaged or missing, the water board should be alerted immediately by calling helpline number 155313.
