Civic body considers reverse osmosis water treatment plant

The Municipal Corporation is contemplating a proposal to have a reverse osmosis (RO) treatment plant constructed to provide drinking water. Initially, a pilot project will provide water to one colony. The proposal is being discussed after the recent cases of deaths due to diarrhoea at Mauli Jagran and cases being reported in other areas.

Over the past few months there have been cases of sewerage mixing with water. One of the reasons is the illegal construction that has taken place on water pipelines. At places people have built toilets on the water pipelines leading to mixing of sewerage waste with drinking water.

With there being frequent complaints about dirty water being supplied to various parts of the city, it is proposed that an RO system be installed in one of the colonies and see the response it gets. The residents as well as the councillors have been raising the issue of dirty water supply time and again. Similar plants have been set up in different villages in Punjab where a can of 20 litres of water is sold for Rs 2.

Joint Commissioner-cum-Secretary Municipal Corporation Rajiv Gupta said that the proposal is being looked into. "We are working out the modalities and examining the feasibility of setting up such a plant. It is proposed that the pilot project be started in one colony. If it is successful and people are willing to pay then it can be replicated at other places," said Gupta.

The Public Health wing of the civic body had sent hundreds of notices to residents in different colonies. It was found that rows of houses were constructed on the water pipelines. In case the civic body wants to conduct repairs, the pipelines are falling in the compounds of people due to encroachments. While notices were issued, there is little else that the MC can do as the demolition of the construction is under the purview of the UT Estate Office. MC officials have also sent a communication to the Estate Office. Since the rectification of the problem does not seem likely very soon, the setting up of the reverse osmosis plant is being contemplated.

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