Acute water crisis hits city

Acute water crisis hits city

Pumps cater to merely one-third requirements

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Feb 25: Acute scarcity of potable water across Guwahati has become a perennial problem. With the onset of the dry windy season, the problem has magnified what with the presently running government water supply plants somehow stretching their age-old creaking infrastructure to pump out water. Leakages in pipes also pose problems. The consumers of Zoo Road Water supply scheme have been deprived of water since the last four days. Source revealed that two of their four pumps have been lying defunct for the last three years, and though the work has been somehow carried out with the remaining two yet those also broke down leading to the present crisis.

It may be mentioned that the entire water supply within the larger city is under three main government agencies. These are GMC, Jal Board, and the PHE. Interestingly official source claim that the present running pumps can cater to only one-third of the water requirements of the Guwahati consumers.

GMC has three water supply treatment plants at Pan Bazar, Satpukhuri, and Kamakhya. The Pan Bazar plant was commissioned in 1963 with capacity of 45 MLD (million litre daily). But its present output is 25 MLD. The Satpukhuri plant commissioned in 1930 with an installed capacity of 22.5 MLD and was renovated in 1984; however its present output is 15 MLD. The Kamakhya plant was commissioned in 1992 with installed capacity of 4.5 MLD and it was improved in 2002. Its present output is 3 MLD. Besides GMC has eight functioning deep tube wells with aggregate installed capacity of 2 MLD; and the present total output is 1.5 MLD.

Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) source claims to supply potable water to 3.3 lakh people through 30,000 connections.

Moreover the Zoo Road Water Supply scheme was initially commissioned with an installed capacity of 12.6 MLD under the Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Board in 1996. It is presently under the Guwahati Jal Board since February 2015. Now its output is 7 MLD. This facility has total connections of 7200.

Public Health Engineering (PHE) runs two water treatment plants at Pan Bazar and Jalukbari (catering to GU and AEC and Sarusajai).The Pan Bazar plant was commissioned in 1977. Its present output is 2.5 MGP (Million Gallon Per Day). The one for GU and AEC has a present output of 45 MLD (Million Litre Daily) while the one for Sausajai has an output of 30 MLD. The PHE plants mainly supply water to government establishments.

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