83 tankers supplying water to 85 colonies

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

As the temperature in the city has reached 39°C, the demand for water has increased sharply in ‘no network areas’ (localities where water pipelines are not available). At present, 480 trips are being made by 83 water tankers to supply water to more than 85 residential colonies. The number of tankers and trips is expected to increase further in April and May. Some relief may come to a few colonies once additional water from the Jayakwadi Dam reaches the city.

Over the past 25 years, the municipal corporation has not laid water pipelines in many newly developed colonies around the city. Therefore, the corporation decided to supply water to residents in these areas through tankers. For this purpose, two separate contractors have been appointed, and currently 83 tankers are in operation. Water is being supplied to more than 85 colonies, including areas such as Satara–Deolai, Nisarg Colony in Padegaon, Mitmita, Chikalthana on Jalna Road, Heenanagar, and up to Cambridge locality. Water is also being provided in Naregaon, Brijwadi, Harsul, and Pahadsinghpura.

Residents have to form groups and pay in advance for water supply. During each trip, one or two drums of water are provided, and this supply is generally received twice a week. The contractors’ tankers are filled from elevated storage reservoirs (ESRs) at N-7, Kotla Colony, and Nakshatrawadi. Tanker filling begins at 4 am, and in some places continues until 10 pm. To complete 480 water trips daily, about 2.5 to 3 MLD of water is required.

Before the onset of summer, 80 tankers were making around 415 trips daily. However, demand increased with the start of the summer season. In colonies such as Satara–Deolai and other distant areas, even borewells have run dry. As a result, residents in these areas are requesting the municipal corporation to provide tanker water even on a paid basis. The pressure on tanker services has now begun to increase gradually.

If additional water arrives…

Under the new water supply scheme, around 1,200 km of new pipelines have been laid in areas that previously had no water network. If an additional 200 MLD of water reaches the city in the coming days, colonies in the no-network areas may also start receiving water. However, the municipal corporation currently lacks sufficient ESRs to store large quantities of water.

Demand increases every year

CSMC deputy engineer (water supply) Kiran Dhande said, “Every summer, the demand for tanker water rises sharply. In many cases, it becomes difficult for the municipal corporation to meet the demand. Even so, the number of tanker trips has been increased in an effort to supply water to residents.”