Berhampur, March 5: Water woes persist in a city that saw chief minister Naveen Patnaik launch a 20-million-litre a day (MLD) water-treatment plant at Dakhinpur five months ago. Reason, insufficient storage facilities.
“The Dakhinpur project used to supply 17MLD of water before the water treatment plant was launched by the chief minister on September 25 last year. Built at a cost of Rs 7.27 crore, the project was expected to supply 30MLD drinking water to the city. But we now have to be content with supplying 16MLD drinking water because of the absence of water storage facilities,” said executive engineer of the public health engineering department (PHED) P.K. Mahapatra.
Berhampur’s 3.70 lakh inhabitants require at least 50MLD water. But they have to make do with 37MLD from three sources — 17 MLD from Dakhinpur, 16 MLD from Rushikulya and 4MLD from various production wells. Absence of water storage facilities forces the authorities to stop the plant as soon as 17MLD water is treated, PHED sources said.
“We can provide drinking water to the public two times daily provided there is enough storage facility for the water from the treatment plant,” said Mahapatra.
The British-era Dakhinpur reservoir, which is a major source of water for the city, was renovated recently. This has increased its water bearing capacity.
The 20MLD water treatment plant, a joint project of the state and Union government, was built under the Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns It took more than two years to complete. Water is treated with lime and ferric alum at the plant after it passes through 10 slow sand filter beds. Later, it is supplied to the public after adding chlorine. The plant is scheduled to operate round-the-clock, sources said. It was expected to provide extra water of around 20MLD.
The chief minister had also laid the foundation stone for the construction of three elevated service reservoirs at Ankuli, Lanjipalli and Khodasingi on September 25 last year. But no progress has been made so far.
