Govt to ensure 24/7 clean drinking water supply to all municipalities by 2027

Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Housing and Urban Development Minister, Dr. Krushna Chandra Mohapatra, on Monday announced a major initiative to provide quality drinking water to all municipalities in the state by March 2027. The ambitious plan includes ensuring round-the-clock access to clean drinking water for every household.

To realize this vision, the state will construct barrages to harness river water more efficiently. At present, only 17 percent of flowing river water is being utilized, with the remaining water flowing into the sea. By building barrages, the state aims to significantly increase the use of river water for drinking and other purposes.

During a review meeting of ongoing drinking water projects, Dr. Mohapatra emphasized the importance of timely project completion and regular monitoring. The introduction of smart meters, initially on a pilot basis, will also be part of the initiative to ensure accurate billing and collection of water charges in urban areas.

Officials were instructed to ensure that all ongoing projects are completed within the designated time frame. Dr. Mohapatra also highlighted that any delays would be thoroughly examined, and corrective measures would be taken to expedite the completion of pending works.

“We discussed how to utilize river water more effectively through barrages,” Dr. Mohapatra said. “Currently, only a fraction of the river’s flow is being used. By building barrages, we will harness more water for the state’s drinking needs,” he added.

The meeting was attended by several senior officials, including Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department; Guru Charan Das, Managing Director of Watco; Ratindra Narayan Mallick, EIC of OWSSB; and Bilas Behera, EIC of PHEO, along with other key department representatives.