Cuttack: The Public Health Engineering Organisation (Pheo) is set to extend its drinking water distribution network to six wards not covered by piped water supply.

Piped water is now supplied in 44 of the 59 wards under the municipal corporation. While nine wards are partially covered, the rest six are uncovered. The drinking water supply distribution network in the city runs to around 551km.

PHEO (Cuttack) executive engineer Sushant Ghadei said: "The projects in the six wards, tenders for which have been finalised and work orders issued, will add another 236km."

"The new pipelines project has been planned for coming up with a distribution network to supply 14 million litres a day," Ghadei said.

As part of the project, two intake wells - one at Jagatpur and another at Pratapnagari - will be constructed to draw water from the Mahanadi and Kuakhai rivers respectively.

"At Jagatpur, a six-million-litres-a-day capacity water treatment plant will be constructed along with two overhead tanks to supply piped water in ward Nos. 48 and 49," Ghadei said.

The two adjoining wards constitute Nimpur, Jagatpur, Najarpur, Sikaripur, Laxmanpur, Fakirpur, Bhubanpur, N Khaira, Immamnagar, Tarola, Jagatpur Industrial Estate, Podabara, Nuasahi, Station Bazar, Jagatpur Golei Chhak and Nankarimpur areas.

"At Pratapnagari an eight-million-litre-a-day capacity water treatment plant along with four overhead tanks will be constructed to supply piped water to ward Nos. 56, 57, 58 and 59," Ghadei said.

The four adjoining wards constitute of Mukameswar, Behera Sahi, Kazipatna, Balikuda Nuabazar, Uttamapur, Subhadrapur, Tentulinali, Gopalpur, Amaniapatna, Pai-kasahi, Bhanpur, Gopalpur Behera Sahi, Srikoruan Khandayat Sahi, Diha Sahi, Harijan Sahi, Kudasahi, Khandayat Sahi, Muslim Sahi, Keuta Sahi, Pratap Nagari, Arak-hakuda, Kacharamala, Nuahat, Odhanga Diha, Ram Na-gar, Nuapatana, Bamphakuda, Nua-Kacharamal, Old-Kacharamala and Telengapentha Bazar.

The Pheo provides 102.9 million litres to the city daily as compared to the daily demand of 101 million litres. However, 25 per cent of the supplied water goes waste because of leakage.

Another project involving replacement of 98.65km of pipelines is already nearing completion. So far, around 96km of pipelines have been replaced and the rest will be completed in June, a Pheo official said.

The pipelines had been replaced, especially in the old parts or core areas in ward Nos. 1 to 35 where most of the pipelines were old.