Government report: Hyderabad metro has worst groundwater crisis, 26 areas
Hyderabad is now the metro with the worst groundwater crisis in India, according to a government report.
The city's water levels have dropped sharply thanks to too many borewells, not enough rainwater harvesting, and rocky ground that makes it tough for water to soak back in.
Out of all Indian metros, Hyderabad has the most "critical" or "over-exploited" areas—26 in total—and none of Hyderabad district's 16 assessment units are in the safe category.
Nearly 1 million borewells, poor recharge
There are nearly 1 million borewells across Greater Hyderabad, many drilled way deeper than allowed by law.
Only about 15% of the city is equipped with rainwater harvesting recharge pits despite decent yearly rainfall.
Because of this unchecked extraction and poor recharge, water scarcity is becoming a real threat for residents and businesses.
Overusing groundwater can even cause shrinking water tables and make water quality worse, a problem that will need attention from both locals and officials.