In the aftermath of a devastating cyclone, the Housing & Urban Development (H&UD) Department of Odisha has mobilised large-scale emergency response operations to restore normal drinking water supply across Brahmapur.
Operating on a war footing, teams are undertaking critical repairs at the Janivili Intake while driving alternative distribution measures to minimise inconvenience to residents.
Current Supply Status and Alternative Arrangements
Berhampur requires a daily water allocation of 90 Million Litres per Day (MLD). As of 10:00 AM today, emergency efforts have successfully restored 70 MLD—meeting nearly 78% of the total urban demand.
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Surface Water: 64 MLD is currently being drawn and processed.
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Production Wells: 15 active wells have been deployed to contribute an additional 6 MLD.
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Mobile Tankers: 20 water tankers (including 12 private units) are actively delivering water to the most affected neighbourhoods.
While Berhampur works toward full capacity, nearby towns such as Hinjilicut and Gopalpur are reporting stable and smooth water supply operations.
Rigorous Chlorination to Safeguard Public Health
To counter potential contamination in the wake of cyclone disruptions, the department has implemented enhanced water treatment protocols across all facilities:
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Pre-Chlorination: Maintained at 4 ppm at water treatment plants.
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Post-Chlorination: Boosted to 10 ppm prior to main distribution.
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Tail-End Zones: Fixed at 2 ppm to guarantee potability at distant tap connections.
War-Footing Restoration at Janivili Intake
The core focus of the emergency response centres on repairing the Janivili Intake infrastructure. To facilitate urgent repair work, workers are building a temporary sandbag barrier across the nearby Connecticut Nala to divert and restrict water flow.
Crews are equipped with dedicated lighting, power supply, food, accommodation, and clean drinking water to ensure round-the-clock operations. As soon as the temporary barrier restricts the water flow, cleaning and structural restoration of the intake will begin immediately.
High-Level Supervision and Administrative Mobilisation
The restoration process is being personally overseen by senior officials, including Usha Padhee (Additional Chief Secretary, H&UD), Arindam Dakua (Director, Municipal Administration), and Debabrata Mohanty (Managing Director, WATCO).
The state government has authorised local Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and the Berhampur Municipal Corporation to immediately deploy available financial reserves and extra personnel to eliminate operational bottlenecks and normalise water access as quickly as possible.
