The old pipeline is crumbling, and the new one is yet to take off. Result: Water crisis for Patna.

Several lakhs litres of water are wasted everyday because of leaks in the decades-old water supply network in the city. In spite of the poor water supply network, the authorities have failed to commission a project sanctioned under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) in 2009. The project is aimed at providing round-the-clock water supply to every household utilising funds of Rs 548.83 crore.

The new water supply project apart, the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) civic body is also sitting on a scheme since 2013 which envisages setting up drinking water kiosks in all 72 wards.

Amid delay in commissioning of new water supply schemes and deficient rainfall over the past four years, experts have claimed that the groundwater level in Patna might witness a bit of plunge this summer owing to the deficient rainfall in the past four years.

"Though it is quite difficult to render an exact assessment of the impact of deficient rainfall over the past four years on the groundwater table as of now but I believe that the level might fall further at those places in the city where it is already comparatively low. This is basically because of the minimal recharge of groundwater table over the past three years, and its excessive extraction by tube wells and hand pumps," said Ashok Ghosh, professor-in-charge, department of environment and water management, AN College.

If the claims of Ghosh prove to be true then residents of areas, including entire Patna City, Kadamkuan, Bazaar Samiti, Rajendra Nagar, Mithapur and Gardanibagh among others, would have to struggle a lot this summer to quench their thirst.

It is in such critical conditions that the JNNURM-funded water supply scheme could have proved to be a boon for the residents. The ambitious project could have reduced the extraction of groundwater in the city by at least half than the present rate of extraction as it envisaged supply of purified drinking water from the Ganga.

However, the project has succumbed to the lackadaisical attitude of Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (Buidco). Contract of consortium of Geo Miller & Company Private Limited and Gammon India Limited was cancelled in August 2014 as work could be initiated on mere 18 of 72 overhead tanks even four months after deadline.

Now, the execution of the project has been divided among the PMC and Buidco. Besides, the proposal of supplying surface water from the Ganga has been discarded and each of the 72 overhead tanks would get water by digging tube wells underneath them, leading furthermore pressure on groundwater.

"The urban development department took a decision around two months ago as per which the PMC would construct 54 overhead tanks, while Buidco would construct the remaining 18. Cost estimates for the same have been sent to the department by Buidco, and the work would start only after approval," said a senior Buidco official.

About failure in execution of drinking water kiosk scheme, mayor Afzal Imam passed the buck on the municipal commissioner. "The municipal commissioner never came up with a proposal for execution of water kiosks scheme in any meeting of the empowered standing committee, otherwise we would have readily approved it," said Imam.

Municipal commissioner Kapil Ashok Shirshat, who took charge for the same on Tuesday, was unavailable for a comment on the issue on Wednesday.

Newly appointed urban development and housing department principal secretary Chaitanya Prasad issued an order on Wednesday, asking all urban local bodies to supply drinking water from tankers in the areas, especially in south Bihar, facing depleting water table.

While the progress in new water supply projects is discouraging, the nearly 60-year old existing water supply network of the city is almost defunct and insufficient to cater to the potable water needs of the residents. As per estimates, 52 per cent of the 2 million population of Patna at present is dependent on municipal water supply and the remaining 48 per cent are dependent on private sources such tube wells and bore wells.

Under the existing municipal water supply system, tube wells pump water directly to distribution centres. The distribution hubs include 23 overhead tanks. Of them, only four are in use. The rest are not in use because of leak.

Defunct overhead tanks apart, the condition of municipal water supply pipeline is quite dismal. Of the entire length of approximately 750km of pipeline, several parts are damaged and they are crying for repair. Damaged pipelines not only lead to supply of contaminated water to the houses but they also lead to excessive pressure on the groundwater table as well.