As summer advances, the groundwater table is falling rapidly in different parts of the city. In Marredpally, water is available at more than 20 metres below ground level. In S.R. Nagar it is between 10 and 20 metres; Bandlaguda, Charminar, Nampally, Secretariat and Kulsumpura it is available between 5 and 10 metres.
The position is relatively better in some places like Humayun Nagar, Gachibowli, Saidabad and Bahadurpura. Here, water can be tapped just between zero and five metres depth. An indication of this is available from the 11 piezometers set up in different locations by the Groundwater Department.
An analysis of groundwater levels shows a fall of -0.53 metres from January 2012 to February 2013 while a rise of 0.98 metres is observed when compared to February 2012.
Rainfall is the principal source for groundwater recharge in the district. The Groundwater Department monitors the changes in the groundwater regime continuously through a network of Piezometers wells located in different hydro-geological and geomorphological units in Hyderabad district. The behaviour of groundwater table is governed by the quantity, intensity and frequency of rainfall. In the 2012-13 water year, Hyderabad district received 808.20 mm rainfall against the normal of 719.70 mm. In the neighbouring Ranga Reddy district, the groundwater depth ranges from three to 23.60 metres.
The shallowest water level is recorded in the peizometer of Shamirpet mandal and deepest in the piezometer of Malkajgiri mandal. In 11 divisions of Chevella and Vikarabad, fall in water level is noticed ranging from -0.02 to -5.24 metres. The divisions are: Maheshwaram (-2.75 m), Yacharam (-1.10), Gandeed (-1.95), Kukacherla (-0.13), Malkajgiri (-3.20), Moinabad (-5.24), Shamshabad (-0.02), Doma (0.03), Basheerabad (-0.29), Dharur (-0.41) and Yalal (-0.32).
However, 26 other mandals have registered a rise in water level ranging from 0.10 to 10.73 metres. They are Ghatkesar, Hayathnagar, Ibrahimpatnam, Kandukur, Keesara, Manchal, Medchal, Qutubullapur, Uppal, Serlingampally, Shahbad, Vikarabad, Bantawaram, Nawabpet, Tandur, Marpally, Mominpet and Peddamul.
The Ranga Reddy district received -0.29 percent less rainfall during the water year 2012-13.
