Bhubaneswar: The institutional framework of water governance in Odisha is currently navigating a critical juncture of demographic pressure and systemic expansion. Housing and Urban Development Principal Secretary, Shrimati Usha Padhee has issued a mandate for structural acceleration, positioning the Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO) as the primary engine for achieving the Viksit Odisha @2036 vision.
This directive originates from an urgent recognition of the widening disparity between the capital’s rapid urbanization and its existing hydraulic infrastructure. WATCO Managing Director, Shri Debabrata Mohanty outlined the scope of deliberations and timely intervention on urban water woes.
Bhubaneswar’s metabolic demand for water is a direct consequence of a population surge that has escalated from 8.40 lakh in 2011 to an estimated 13.03 lakh by 2025.
This growth has created a current volumetric requirement of 304 million liters per day (MLD). However, the existing supply capacity stands at only 238.50 MLD, leaving a 65.50 MLD deficit that necessitates a precarious reliance on groundwater extraction.
The systemic vulnerability of this gap is currently mitigated by a network of six Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) drawing from the Mahanadi, Kuakhai, and Daya rivers, yet the sustainability of this model remains under threat from climate variability and seasonal scarcity.
To address this layered causality of water stress, WATCO is spearheading a comprehensive augmentation strategy. The immediate priority is the commissioning of a 130 MLD Water Treatment Plant at Mundali within the next six months.
This project is a socio-legal necessity, as its completion will enable WATCO to extend standardized service coverage to all apartments and institutional establishments, thereby universalizing access within the municipal perimeter.
Looking toward the mid-century horizon, the state’s strategy involves a massive scale-up of raw water appropriation. A proposal for lifting 1,000 MLD of raw water from the Mahanadi River is being prepared to secure the capital’s requirements for the next fifty years.
This long-term resilience plan is further bolstered by the proposed 20 MLD WTP at Naharkanta by 2028 and an ambitious 400 MLD facility aligned with the 2047 national development goals.
Beyond the Capital City, the Principal Secretary Smt.Padhee has mandated WATCO to perform a systemic synthesis of water security across all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in Odisha. This survey is designed to diagnose inefficiencies in source sustainability and distribution, particularly for regions facing acute summer shortages.
By integrating peak seasonal demand data with infrastructure planning, the state aims to transform water management from reactive crisis intervention into a model of proactive, future-ready urban governance.