Drinking water crisis in three flood-hit coastal districts

BHUBANESWAR: Even after a week of being marooned, drinking water supply systems in several villages in the three coastal districts of Kendrapara, Jagatsingpur and Puri have not yet been restored. With flood water receding slowly and a large number of tubewells and pipe water supply projects still submerged, drinking water is being supplied through water tankers to the affected areas.

A review on the restoration of the drinking water supply (PWS) system in the three districts revealed that 711 out of 3,026 tube wells have been disinfected and 16 out of 72 PWS restored with power supply.

In Kendrapara, 1,089 tube wells and 13 PWS were submerged in flood water. While 633 tube well were disinfected, 10 PWS schemes were restored with power supply. Drinking Water is being supplied through water tankers and mobile vans loaded with Sintex tanks.

The department has engaged three truck-mounted water treatment systems for the production of drinking water pouches for distribution in the areas still submerged under flood water.

The department reported that the 493 tube wells and nine PWS meant to meet the drinking water needs of 65 villages in 30 panchayats of Jagatsingpur districts were submerged out of which 13 tube wells and two PWS were restored by Sunday morning.

Four PWS in Kujang block, two in Tirtol and one in the Erasama block are still submerged. These areas were supplied with tankers, water bottles and pouches.

As many as 1,444 hand pumps and 54 PWS systems were submerged in 189 villages of Puri district.
The department’s field staff have restored only 65 tubewells and four PWS schemes.