Sambalpur: Survey Complete, New Water Supply Project Begin Soon; 30-Years-Old Pipes to be Replaced
Sambalpur: Sambalpur will soon benefit from a new water supply project aimed at modernizing and improving the city’s aging infrastructure. Watco has completed the survey work, and they will begin the tender process in the next month or month and a half, which will move them forward with implementing the project. This project will replace the 25- to 30-year-old pipes currently supplying water to various parts of the city. According to Watco Executive Engineer Brahmeshwar Das, the estimated budget for this project is expected to be between 45 to 50 crore rupees, though a final decision on funding is yet to be made.
Urgent Need for Clean Water
According to the information, Sambalpur, Hirakud, and Burla require approximately 98 million liters of water per day (MLD), but the current supply is only about 83 MLD, which is managed by the Public Health Department and Watco. Many areas, such as Ghunguti Pada, continue to lack adequate water connections, and some regions have wastewater. The jaundice outbreak in Sambalpur in 2014 highlighted the dangers of contaminated water, which damaged pipes in the drainage system primarily caused. The outbreak triggered a major public health crisis, and then Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced a 100-crore drinking water project to replace outdated pipelines. However, the work is still incomplete, and only a few areas have received new pipes.
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Previous Project Delays and Health Impacts
Although the city receives purified water directly from the Hirakud reservoir to the Mudipada tank, several areas are still dependent on old pipelines, with some as old as 50-60 years. Many pipes have corroded and cracked, which allows sewage to seep into the water. Council members have repeatedly raised these issues in Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) meetings, as health crises like jaundice in Burla (2019) and diarrhea in Hirakud (2024) have caused significant losses.
Watco Survey Identifies Critical Areas for Project
Watco has completed a survey to improve Sambalpur’s water system. The company will prioritize constructing additional water storage facilities in water-scarce areas under the new project. They will replace pipes submerged in drainage systems and those connecting households directly. Watco aims to address Sambalpur’s water challenges and enhance the entire city’s water infrastructure through this project.
