The Water Corporation of Odisha (Watco) has announced that it has achieved 100% household water supply coverage across all 29 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) under its jurisdiction. This milestone was revealed during a high-level meeting chaired by the state's Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Minister, Krushna Chandra Mahapatra.
Water Supply Capacity Exceeds Demand
According to a communication from the H&UD department, Watco's current water supply capacity has reached 988.89 million litres per day (MLD), significantly exceeding the present urban demand of 700.67 MLD. The water supply network has so far served over 4.91 million people through 7,63,082 household water connections, officials confirmed.
Drink from Tap Initiative Expanding
The achievement has been further strengthened by the successful implementation of the flagship 'Drink from Tap' (DFT) initiative, which currently provides 24x7 potable water supply in 11 ULBs. Work is actively underway to extend the DFT system to 17 additional urban areas, while planning for implementation in Konark is also in progress, the communication stated.
Budget Utilisation and Expenditure
In the fiscal year 2025-26, Watco recorded 100% utilisation of its Rs 912 crore budget allocated for water supply and sewerage infrastructure, including capital assets, salary, and non-salary components. In addition to state budget allocation, Watco incurred expenditure of over Rs 500 crore under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), OMBADC, and other deposit funds for expansion and strengthening of urban water and sanitation infrastructure.
Smart Water Meters and Technology
In line with its technology-driven approach, Watco has installed 50,000 smart water meters across five pilot cities: Bhubaneswar, Puri, Cuttack, Rourkela, and Berhampur. These meters aim to improve billing efficiency, reduce non-revenue water, and strengthen resource management through smart monitoring systems.
Upcoming Major Projects
Watco is preparing to undertake major upcoming projects worth Rs 6,129 crore. These include a Rs 1,682-crore sewerage project for Sambalpur and an Rs 830.97-crore sewerage system for Baripada.
Water Quality and Safety
To ensure the highest standards of water safety and quality, Watco currently operates 14 third-party water testing laboratories under public-private partnership (PPP) mode, while two additional laboratories are being established. Watco has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT-Bhubaneswar for advanced water quality monitoring and technical support.
