Odisha Accelerates Plan for 24×7 Urban Water Supply, Reviews Multi-Year PHEO Roadmap

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has stepped up efforts to ensure round-the-clock drinking water supply in urban areas, undertaking a detailed review of the Public Health Engineering Organisation’s (PHEO) Annual Action Plans for 2026–27, 2027–28 and 2028–29.

The review meeting, chaired by Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee at Kharabela Bhawan, focused on expanding 24×7 water coverage across Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in a phased manner.

Officials said the population across 86 ULBs is projected to reach around 31.5 lakh by 2026, while the current cumulative water supply stands at approximately 452 million litres per day (MLD). To meet rising demand, the state is implementing a structured roadmap to ensure uninterrupted supply across all urban centres.

As part of this plan, nine ULBs have already been covered under the 24×7 water supply initiative during 2025–26. The government now aims to extend the coverage to 38 ULBs each in 2026–27 and 2027–28, significantly accelerating statewide implementation.

Under the flagship SUJALA programme, 544 water supply projects have been sanctioned so far. Of these, 289 have been completed, while the remaining are under various stages of execution. In 2026–27, a total of 391 projects—including 102 new ones—will be taken up with an estimated investment of ₹1,500 crore. Additionally, 92 projects are planned for 2027–28 at a projected cost of ₹978 crore.

The projects are aimed at strengthening infrastructure, improving distribution networks and ensuring consistent water availability to urban households.

Reviewing the progress, Padhee directed officials to fast-track implementation and ensure timely completion of projects in line with the state’s vision of universal water access. She also emphasised the need for efficient utilisation of funds and maintaining execution momentum.

Highlighting sustainability concerns, she stressed the importance of developing alternative water sources and discouraging the use of treated drinking water for non-essential purposes such as gardening, vehicle washing and construction.