ABOUT JALAM-JEEVAM

As a water conservation measure, Government has given an unprecedented thought to proposals such as RainWater Harvesting. Efforts were taken to convert the Rain Water Harvesting campaign launched by the Government as people’s movement.Keeping this in view, HMWSSB has decided to embark upon popularising the RWH techniques among the residents of Hyderabad, as also in the neighbouring areas.

A number of seminars, Marathons and workshops and exhibitions are planned to organise involving various Government agencies like HMWSSB,GHMC,HMDA,TSIIC,TASA, NGOs, Colony associations and private individuals. As a result of this intensive campaign the Rain Water Harvesting has become popular in Hyderabad city and the people are adopting it on their own.

Prior to JALAM- JEEVAM

Considering the importance of Rainwater harvesting in conserving the precious ground water resource, the Board has taken initiative to constitute a fully dedicated “Rain Water Harvesting Cell”. The main objective of the Cell is to create awareness and to offer technical assistance free of cost to the residents and to provide to the citizens ‘cost effective solutions’. HMWSSB has created several models, detailed designs etc., which are available in the form of brochures, booklets and are being distributed to the public. In the recent past, we have also tried to disseminate related information through electronic and print media quite vigorously. An Information Centre on RWH was opened from 10.8.2001onwards at the HMWSS Board Head Office.

Realizing the importance on regulatory mechanism for providing rainwater harvesting HMWSSB has made the installation of Rain Water Harvesting structures as a compulsory pre-requisite for providing water and sewer connections for all the new buildings.

Regular training and awareness programme are being conducted by HMWSSB for the benefit of public, private engineers and building workers.A list of Resource Persons has been prepared and made available. Details on RWH have also been put up on the HMWSSB website.

1.Board has insisted the applicant to construct Rainwater Harvesting Structures:

The Board has insisted the customers and made them to construct Rainwater Harvesting Structures in their respective premises and completed about 2338 Rainwater Harvesting Structures during the period from 2012 to 2015 before releasing the water supply connections. About 7900Cum of volume created with the above structures, capable of about 2633KL of Rainwater for additional recharge in a normal rainy day. About 105333KL of rainwater can be recharged per Annum with Normal Annual Rainfall with the above structures.

2.100 days Action plan of Telangana Government:

The Board has constructed Rainwater Harvesting Structures in common places of various colonies in Hyderabad city in view of severe drought during the summer of 2015, may be due to various unfavorable situations like less rainfall, depletion of groundwater levels, less groundwateryields in all most all existing bore wells,excess groundwater draft and shortage of supply water due to insufficient water in reservoirs etc.

In addition to awareness campaigns on Rainwater Harvesting, the Board has decided to construct Rainwater Harvesting Structures in common places of various colonies and included in 100 days Action plan of Government of Telangana during the period from February to May 2016and targeted for 1000 Structures.

Accordingly, the Board has constructed 2200 Structures of different types under 100 days action planin various colonies and Government buildings etc., by taking undertaking letters from the concerned Residential Welfare Associations / Residents for further regular maintenance of the structures to recharge the rainwater for ever and created additional volume of about 18483Cum with 42 injection wells and 37 existing dried up bore wells. About 7271KL of rainwater can be recharged through these structures per a normal rainy day or about 290840KL of rainwater per Annual Normal Rainfall.

3.Jalabhagyam:

Though the responsibility of the maintenance with the respective Residential Welfare Associations, some are taking care and some are throwing on the Government.

In view of the above, the Board decided to aware the more number of People on construction of RWH Structures, its importance and maintenance etc., in the premises of non residential areas within the limits of ORR and empanelled 5 NGOs for the purpose. The Board also decided to reimburse the amount of 25% of the total cost of the structures as incentive to the premises owners who ever come forward with the inspiration of the said NGOs under Jalabhagyam program. The period of Jalabhagyam program was from April to October 2017.

About 2106 non residential premises like Schools, Colleges, Institutions and Industries etc., visited by above five NGOs Viz. MARI, Prakrithi, WAVES, SMARAN and SEED for awareness on construction of RWH Structures. Out of which, about 709premises were found constructed themselves. About 141premises owners were shown interest and given consent for construction with the technical support from the Board.

4.Pragathi Bhavan (Chief Minister’s Camp Office:

The feasibility study conducted for selection of suitable sites for construction of Rainwater Harvesting Structures in the premises of Hon’ble Chief Minister’s Residence cum Office at Begumpet. Based on the study, the investigated area is about 8.0Ac, elevated topography, poor recharge. The area is covered with Red Sandy Soils followed by weathered, Semi weathered, fractured and hard grey granites. The roof area of three buildings in the premises is about 4500Sqm. The Roof area, rainfall and formation of the area etc., are taken into consideration to arrive the Volume of the proposed structures.

The total selected sites for Construction of Rainwater Harvesting Structures in the premises are 19 with volume of about 129Cum, out of which, 14 structures are recharge pits and rest are recharge pits along with Injection wells which are capable to recharge of about 4720Kilo liters per Annual Normal Rainfall per Annum to augment Groundwater. The tender process and allotment to the contractor is also completed.

Details of the Rainwater Harvesting Structures constructed by the Board

Capacity of the Structures to additional recharge of Rainwater

About 26991.64Cum of volume created by construction of 4594 Rainwater Harvesting Structures by the Board during the period from 2012 to 2017 in Hyderabad city within the limits of ORR, by which about 412128.53KL (412.13ML or say 90.66MG) of Rainwater is expected to recharge to augment the groundwater per Annual Normal Rainfall per Annum.