25% water shortage ahead

For the past few years,the city has been receiving 67 mgd from the first four phases of Kajauli and the remaining from tubewells. The census data released recently puts Chandigarh at the top spot when it comes to availability of water for residents. As many as 96.7 per cent of households have access to tap water. However,the summer months bring with them water woes.

During peak summer,the demand goes up further. Due to this,residents on the upper storeys complain about low water pressure. This also affects the supply hours. However,the project mooted by the Municipal Corporation (MC) for augmentation of water supply through phases V and VI of Kajauli is in cold storage with the city facing hurdles from both Punjab and Haryana.

The first phase of Kajauli was commissioned in 1983 at a cost of Rs 12.95 crore borne by the Ministry of Urban Development. Since then,three more phases were commissioned in 1988,1994 and 2006. The project for the next two phases has been hitting roadblocks for the past two years.

There are 210 tubewells installed in the city,of which 40 are in Manimajra. There is no scope for installation of additional tubewells due to the depleting groundwater level. The UT’s groundwater level is decreasing at the rate of 2.5 metre per year in the northern sectors and 1.5 metre per year in the southern sectors.

Superintending Engineer (Public Health) R C Diwan,however,stated that the civic body has braced for the summer months and it would be ensured that there is no water supply problem. He pointed out that there is a need for residents to use water carefully and ensure that it is not wasted.

In order to save drinking water from being used for irrigation,supply of tertiary treated water is being made to different parks and greenbelts. The final phase of providing tertiary treated water is underway. Once this is completed,around 5-6 mgd water would be saved.

Water levels fall…

Data for the past few years shows that the water level in different sectors is in decline. The maximum decline is in Sector 26. The water level measured at the tubewells indicates that at one tubewell installed in the sector the water level declined by 39 metres and at another spot by 35 metres. In Sector 23 the decline is around 28 metres in 10 years. The decline varies between 2.5 metre per year in the northern sectors to around 1.5 metre in the southern ones. This indicates that the dependence on tubewells would need to decrease over the years.

… As revenues rise

The Municipal Corporation collected Rs 59 crore from water tariffs this year against the target of Rs 57 crore. Last year the collection was Rs 52 crore. One of the reasons for this is the increase in water tariff that was notified last year.