Residents of gated communities and apartment complexes across Visakhapatnam are facing a severe water shortage, with many increasingly dependent on private tankers as groundwater levels fall and reservoir supplies decline.
Residents say even tankers booked through the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) are often not delivered on time. In several areas, borewells drilled to depths of 500 feet have failed to yield water, while attempts to reach 800 feet have produced only limited supplies.
Maharani Peta, Seethammadhara, Maddilapalem, Shivajipalem, Yendada, Arilova, Pedda Rushikonda, Marikavalasa, PM Palem, Madhuravada, Mithilapuri VUDA Colony and Gajuwaka are among the areas facing acute shortages.
Reservoirs supplying the city, including Tatipudi, Mehadrigedda, Mudasarlova, Gambhiram and Gosthanee, have also recorded declining water levels.
The GVMC has reduced water supply timings, triggering protests in several neighbourhoods. Residents allege that officials are often unresponsive despite providing contact numbers for tanker services.
M Madhava Rao, a resident of an apartment complex in Seethammadhara, said the shortage had sharply increased monthly maintenance costs.
“What used to cost Rs 1,000 has increased dramatically as we now have to pay for water tankers,” he said, adding that the additional expense was also affecting retired residents.
In the suburbs, some gated communities and large apartment complexes reportedly require 10 to 20 tankers a day, with each tanker carrying around 10,000 to 12,000 litres. Residents say getting even two tankers a day through GVMC’s online booking system has become difficult.
Official data cited in the report shows that groundwater levels in Visakhapatnam district have declined significantly over the years. The level was recorded at 7.54 metres below ground level (BGL) in 2023 and 7.8 metres in 2024. It stood at 7.65 metres in 2025 before dropping sharply to 11.51 metres in 2026.
The water shortage is also beginning to affect the rental market.
Property brokers in Seethammadhara say water availability has now become a primary concern for tenants, even ahead of amenities such as parking and fitness facilities.
“Renters are now asking whether the GVMC line is operational every day, whether the borewell is functional and whether there is a sump backup,” one broker said.
Flats with assured water supply are reportedly being rented out within a day, sometimes at higher rates, while properties without reliable water supply are remaining vacant despite lower rents.
