Bhubaneswar: Access to clean drinking water is essential for rural as well as urban population. Therefore, the Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water (PR& DW) Department and Housing & Urban Development (H&UD) department,Government of Odisha are continuously striving to achieve this objective by implementing various schemes for the rural & urban population respectively.
The H&UD department is implementing schemes like Jalasathi, Drink from Tap (DFT) Mission & Smart Water Information Management System (SWIMS) to ensure 24×7 piped potable water supply to every household in the urban areas, reduce non-revenue water and ensure regular water testing. Similarly, the PR & DW dept is providing potable water in rural areas through different schemes.
Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC) is providing financial assistance to the H&UD dept to implement the ‘Drink from Tap’ scheme through Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO) in 14 ULBs, which fall under several mining districts of the state.
Over 32000 households across four ULB of Sundargarh district have been benefited through DFT scheme. This effort is important in mining dominated areas, where groundwater often contains high levels of iron particles, making it a risk for consumption. To address this challenge, the H&UD dept has set up a dedicated drinking water supply project each at Sundargarh, Rajgangpur and Biramitrapur municipalities along with Rourkela Municipal Corporation, thereby enhancing residents’ access to safe drinking water.
Water is drawn from various rivers flowing through Sundargarh district using intake wells. The ‘Drink from Tap’ model guarantees water quality that confirms with safe drinking standards, providing an uninterrupted and clean drinking water supply to local residents. As a result, people can directly drink water from the tap and use it for household purposes.
Under the ‘Drink from Tap’ initiative, a meter is installed in every household to monitor the quantity of water supplied. To support this initiative, the administration has engaged women self-help groups (WSHGs) who visit homes to record meter readings, collect water bills and monitor water quality through testing kits. This initiative not only resolves water issues in ULBs but also provides a livelihood for WSHG members.
Following the implementation of this project, every household has been connected to a tap to counter the problem of water wastage that occurred previously and is therefore now being managed effectively. Furthermore, the program is contributing to a reduction in various waterborne diseases.
The OMBADC’s initiative is a game-changer for Sundargarh, setting a precedent for other mineral rich regions grappling with water related challenges. By bridging the gap between demand and supply through technology intervention and policy support, this initiative is a step forward in Odisha’s journey towards universal access to safe drinking water.
