Is state better placed on water front?

BHUBANESWAR: In about 15 years from now, 1.8 billion people will be hit by water scarcity, with use of water in developing countries slated to rise by 50 per cent by the year 2025, revealed World Resource Institute’s report.Whether the State stares at a similar situation remains a point of contention. The population in Khurda district rose by around 3.72 lakh since 2001. With water requirement in the district being pegged at around 150 litres per head per day, water requirement has increased by 55.8 million litres per day.Around 220 million litres of piped water per day is supplied to Bhubaneswar, to cater to a population of around 10 lakh. Chief Engineer, Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), D Singh said the water treatment plants have the capacity to supply water for the next five years, adding that the plants can run for 24 hours a day, if need be.Currently, the plants function for around 12 to 14 hours a day. The dependence on groundwater is minimal at this juncture, with PHED resorting to groundwater only at the time of power failure.However, the groundwater level has also slid in the recent past. According to the Ground Water Survey Department in Khandagiri, groundwater level before monsoon in 2009 was recorded at 5.18 meters, while the level fell to 4.98 meters in 2011.“Groundwater has depleted during the last decade,” said Akshay Kumar Nayak, Chairman, Ground Water Survey. According to Government of India norms, a fall in groundwater level by less than two meters in considered insignificant. Fortunately, the situation in the city has never been that grave.