Colony emerges as model for rainwater harvesting in Hyderabad

Nearly 80 per cent of the houses in the colony have installed rooftop rainwater harvesting systems that channel rainwater into recharge structures.

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Water Board on Thursday, July 23, organised an awareness programme, rally and public meeting at Co-op Bank Colony in Nagole to promote rainwater harvesting and groundwater conservation. The initiative aimed to encourage people to protect groundwater resources and ensure water security for future generations.

Located on the southern side of the Musi River in Nagole village, Co-op Bank Colony has around 400 houses. In 2012, following a request from the Residents Welfare Association (RWA), groundwater experts from the Hyderabad Water Board provided technical guidance to improve groundwater conservation in the colony. They advised residents to install rainwater harvesting structures in every house.

Following it, nearly 80 per cent of the houses in the colony have installed rooftop rainwater harvesting systems that channel rainwater into recharge structures. It has improved the availability of water in borewells after the monsoon.

Following the recommendations of Water Board groundwater experts, residents also voluntarily decided not to drill new borewells beyond a depth of 60 metres.

To showcase the colony’s success as a model for other residential areas in Hyderabad, the Hyderabad Water Board, the Co-op Bank Colony Residents Welfare Association and SEED NGO jointly organised the programme.

Speaking on the occasion, Water Board officials said that installing rainwater harvesting structures in every house can help conserve groundwater and ensure water security for future generations.

The programme was attended by Director (Operations) Vasa Satyanarayana, Director (Revenue) Kiran Kumar, Chief General Manager Nagendra Kumar, General Manager Mahendra Naik, Groundwater Expert Jala Satyanarayana, concerned Deputy General Manager and Manager, SEED NGO representative Nagabrahmachari, Co-op Bank Colony RWA President Ashok Kumar, Secretary Lavakush Reddy, and other RWA members.