Repairs to major leaks in Hyderabad’s 105-year-old Osman Sagar raw-water conduit were completed six hours ahead of schedule, allowing the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) to begin restoring drinking-water supply in affected areas in phases, officials said.
More than 90 per cent of leaks at eight critical locations were controlled during a 36-hour shutdown that began at 6 am on November 3, according to a statement issued by the Water Board. The repairs were taken up to reduce raw-water losses from the conduit and prevent further wastage.
The stone conduit carries raw water from the Osman Sagar reservoir to Hyderabad. HMWSSB said the structure had developed major leaks at several points because of damage to its masonry and joints. Immediate repairs were carried out at Sabza Colony, Janaki Nagar, Tolichowki, Manikonda and Gandipet through coordinated efforts by the Water Board.
The shutdown affected pumping and distribution in several parts of the city. HMWSSB said operations were resuming in phases under Operation and Maintenance Division XIII, covering Goshamahal and Karwan; Division XIV, covering Kapra and Uppal; Division XV, covering Jubilee Hills and Seri Lingampally; and Division XVII, covering Kawadiguda and Secunderabad.
The early completion reduces the duration of the planned interruption, but the work does not amount to a full restoration of the ageing conduit. The Water Board said full restoration is expected to take several months, indicating that the immediate intervention has addressed critical leak points while wider work on the historic water infrastructure remains pending.
The condition of the conduit is significant because it forms part of the system carrying reservoir water into Hyderabad. Damage to masonry and joints in an old raw-water structure can affect both the volume reaching the city’s treatment and distribution network and the reliability of supply during maintenance shutdowns. The latest repairs therefore address an operational loss as well as a public water-supply concern.
HMWSSB undertook the work amid possible water-availability challenges associated with upcoming El Niño conditions, according to the report. The statement did not provide a revised completion schedule for the remaining restoration work or quantify the volume of water saved after the leaks were controlled.
Pumping and distribution will continue to be restored in the affected operation and maintenance divisions. The next major milestone is the completion of the broader restoration expected over the coming months.
