Power shortage in Andhra Pradesh has started affecting water supply in several cities and towns, including Hyderabad. The crisis has also led to an acute shortage of diesel as the demand has gone up due to increased use of generators. Hyderabad is reeling under drinking water shortage with residential areas in the heart of the city and suburbs receiving water once in two days. However, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB), which supplies 290 million gallons of water per day, claimed there is no water shortage. "We can still maintain the required water supply. But several areas are not receiving water as there is no power at the nearest pumping stations during the regular supply time. Hence, the supply has become erratic. Areas where there is no power crisis receive adequate supply at the specified time,' said Director (Technical) Prabhakar Sharma. "We are receiving several complaints daily. But we are not at fault. How can we pump water when there is no power?' said an irate HMWSSB official. "On a rotation basis, different areas of the city have two- to three-hour long power cuts at different times. Many residential areas face power cuts at the time of water supply, and if there is no power at the pumping station, the areas do not get water,' said the official. The HMWSSB is preparing a contingency plan in case rains fail and levels in water sources fall. Hyderabad sources drinking water from the Nagarjuna Sagar, and rivers Musi and Manjira. The state Government is also speeding up work on the second phase of the Krishna Drinking Water Supply Phase II. "The project is 75 per cent complete, but we can still start supplying water from this project,' Sharma says. Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram will inaugurate the project at Sahebnagar near Nagarjuna Sagar highway on Saturday. Meanwhile, many petrol pumps in the city have run out of diesel stock due to a sudden increase in the demand. Pump owners said that power cuts have forced small industries and business establishments to use diesel generators, which has led to a spurt in the demand for diesel. According to officials of the state level coordination office of oil companies, the shortage was temporary and fresh stocks have been sought.