Unlike regulation of piped water supply (PWS) in developed States such as Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Punjab, Maharashtra, Kerala and Assam through boards, Odisha has RWSS and PHED to look after rural and urban water supply under two different departments such as Rural Development and Housing and Urban Development.
Odisha is the 9th larger State by area and 11th largest by population. About 3,49,70,652 people are staying in rural areas in the State. In the present scenario, the rural people in drinking water sector get benefitted from 4, 27,712 of tube wells, 13,054 sanitary wells and 10,476 PWS systems. Emphasis has been laid on more pipelines to cover 1,20,260 habitations with drinking water security. It is an imperative to shift from hand pump tube wells to piped water supply system with provision of household connections. Implementation of 501 mega PWS schemes with a gamut of range from 3 MlD to 10 MlD taking surface water from rivers and reservoirs are on cards. The existing sources from reservoirs and perennial rivers (Mahanadi, Brahmani, Tel, Baitarani, Rushikulya etc.) are more dependable. At present, the number of habitations covered with minimum 40 litres per capita per day is 1,27,237, where as mere 36,865 habitations are covered by means of rural piped water supply which is little above 24 per cent. The population too covered by piped water is 1.47 crore which is paltry 41 per cent.
A major handicap is the funds flow is in spate but in multitude pattern in different periods from OMBADC, 14th FCA,CSR, NRDWP,SFC and CFC etc. Ancillary work of rising main and distribution lines as well as energisation cannot proceed at full throttle. Since the work is being carried out in piecemeal manner, the outcome leads to serious implications. Apart from this, there is sheer observation of quality affected habitations like fluoride, chloride iron etc. which needs to be addressed meticulously.
However, in many parts of Odisha, depleting ground water and deteriorating ground water quality are threatening the sustainability of pipe water supply in both rural and urban areas. Furthermore, the surface water supplied to both rural and urban areas is also threatened by water scarcity and conflict among users. The possibility of duplicity of work in RWSS and PHED cannot be ruled out. Poor service, high water losses and no metering are adding to the inconvenience.
In order to overcome the above difficulties and to improve the PWS system, a water supply board needs to be constituted under one ministry for both rural and urban PWS schemes in Odisha.
Fortunately, the Odisha Cabinet has given nod on October 6 last to implement mega piped water supply schemes in five districts at first phase, apart from one mega piped water for Brahmapur. The five districts soon going to reap the benefit are Puri, Bhadrak,Baleswar, Keonjhar and Jajpur where around Rs 300 crore under the fourth SFC will be spent in 2-3 years. The Odisha Mineral Bearing Area Development Corporation will also provide requisite funds in seven mineral rich districts such as Angul, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Jharsuguda, etc., in a phased manner for
drinking water supply.