Bhubaneswar, May 17: The Public Health Engineering Organisation (PHEO) has pressed 15 tankers into service to ensure adequate supply of drinking water to all parts of the city.

The organisation has placed plastic tanks at strategic points in areas such as Sunderpada, Jagamara, Palaspalli and Gautam Nagar for local residents to collect water at their convenience. The tankers refill these tanks at regular intervals.

Twelve such tanks have been placed at Sunderpada, five at Jagamara, three at Palaspalli and two at Gautam Nagar. PHEO superintending engineer Chittaranjan Jena said: “The tankers supply extra water for free and the costs are managed with funds made available by the state government to address heat wave related situations. We get requests from the local councillors of the municipal corporation or MLAs to supply water. However, people can also contact us at the PHEO toll free number 18003456783 or the numbers of the two dispatching centres.”

Another official said: “Apart from the areas where the PHEO has placed plastic tanks, the tankers also take water to Badagada, Jadupur and Maitri Vihar. Private water tankers are also used.”

Councillor Krushna Chandra Sethi of ward No. 57 said: “The water supply scenario in our ward will improve once water from the Mundali treatment plant reaches here. Vanishing water bodies and wetlands in our ward cause the depletion of ground water. So, we have requested the PHEO authorities to send water tankers regularly.”

Jena said the Mundali water has reached Pokhariput, but trenching under the railway tracks will take some time. Water can reach Bhimatangi and Sundarpada only after that.

For other areas along the newly completed Khandagiri-Pokhariput pipeline such as Jagamara and Gandamunda, the PHEO authorities have requested prospective consumers to apply for pipe water connection.

“Safe drinking water is a major problem in our area. Uncontrolled urbanisation has added to the problem because it is depleting ground water. We have been hearing about the water supply project for the last two years,” said Kailash Chandra Behera, a resident of Pahala.

“In future, we will have a separate water treatment plant on the eastern embankment of Kuakhai river, which will have reservoirs for supply of drinking water to Pahala and beyond,” said Jena.

“People do not get pipe water supply immediately after shifting to new colonies. Sometimes, it takes years. Consequently, many have gone for bore-wells, which is a threat to depletion of ground water,’’ said Nrupa Kishor Patnaik a resident of Pokhariput.