Warangal: Daily water supply remains a pipe dream

Warangal: Decades have elapsed, but the people's representatives' promise to ensure daily drinking water supply to all the households in Greater Warangal remained an unfulfilled dream. With plenty of waters available through the Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme, there is no dearth of source for the authorities to tackle with the drinking water problems.

A city like Warangal, which has a population of more than 10 lakh including the 42 merged villages and witnessing a rapid growth requires a lot of infrastructure and planning to cater to the drinking water needs. The Greater Warangal has around 2.25 lakh households. Of which, 1.20 lakh households have tab connection.

The waters sourced from Devadula LIS are being treated at the three filter beds located in Waddepally, Kakatiya University and Desaipet. This apart, a filter bed was also commissioned near Dharmasagar tank as part of Mission Bhagiratha with a capacity of 48.5 million litres per day (MLD). It may be noted here that the water holding capacity of Dharmasagar reservoir is 1,500 million cubic feet (MCFT).

As per the standards, the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) requires nearly 150 million litres a day (MLD) to quench the thirst of its denizens. As of now, the GWMC is supplying drinking water alternative days or once in three days. Only a very few areas have the luxury of daily water supply.

Apart from the existing ones, the authorities have taken up the construction of 33 Elevated Level Surface Reservoirs (ELSRs) also known as overhead water tanks under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). Of which, 14 ELSRs have already been commissioned, but the pace of construction of others is alarming. Despite several deadlines, the work on ELSRs is progressing at a snail pace. As if this was not enough, the coronavirus lockdown has also impacted the construction of the ELSRs, according to officials.

Speaking to The Hans India, Municipal Commissioner Pamela Satpathy said: "As of now, we are supplying 149 MLD of waters. Apparently, the supplies are in tune with the demand of the denizens. All that we need to regularise the supplies on daily basis instead of alternative days."

When asked about the water reserves, she said that they have enough source of drawing them through Devadula LIS. "We are maintaining 810 MCFT waters in Dharmasagar reservoir that is enough to address the drinking water needs of denizens for 120 days," Pamela Satpathy said.