Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Under the city’s new water supply scheme, being implemented at a cost of Rs 2,740 crore to address the city’s growing water needs, water from the Jayakwadi Dam had first reached Nakshatrawadi on April 14 to mark Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti. However, despite the passage of 28 days, the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) had made little concrete progress in taking the project forward.
On Tuesday at around 6 pm, Jayakwadi water once again reached the Nakshatrawadi water treatment plant. The next seven to eight days will now involve a critical and complex water purification process.
Despite the peak summer season nearly ending, the city has not received even 60 to 70 MLD of additional water from the new scheme, let alone the proposed 200 MLD increase. Residents in many areas continue to receive water only two to three times a month, while more than half the city remains dependent on water tankers.
Even amid mounting public hardship, the MJP and contractor GVPR Company have shown little urgency in accelerating the project. Although a successful pipeline trial from Jayakwadi to Nakshatrawadi was conducted on April 14, no major efforts were made afterwards to operationalise the supply.
Fresh efforts began on Monday to bring water to Nakshatrawadi, and over the last 24 hours, water was pumped through two pumps before finally reaching the purification centre on Tuesday evening. Pumping operations were halted shortly afterwards.
Tough purification process ahead
Since the water treatment plant is new, officials will now have to verify whether purification systems are functioning effectively. The treatment process is considered technically challenging and requires extensive testing.
Once the water is purified, certification will be required before supply can begin. A laboratory will also have to be set up at the site. Citizens will receive water only after all legal and technical formalities are completed.
Pipeline work still incomplete
Work on pipelines and overhead reservoirs under the new water supply scheme remains incomplete, making immediate distribution across the city difficult.
Officials believe that until the remaining works are completed, at least 60 to 70 MLD of water from the new scheme could be diverted into the old water supply system’s master balancing reservoir (MBR) network. This could offer major relief to residents, reducing the current supply gap and ensuring water every three to four days instead of once in 10 to 15 days.