After handing over the power distribution of two cities to private hands, the state government is set to try out the model in urban water supply.

This will be done as a pilot project in one zone each of Lucknow and Allahabad. The authorities have already zeroed in Mumfordganj zone in Allahabad. In Lucknow, they are yet to identify the most critical area. The bids are to be invited soon.

“The idea is to ensure round-the-clock water supply and to check its wastage,” said a senior government official. Once successful, the project will gradually be implemented in other places, he added.

The government had started toying with the idea under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) after the Centre asked for innovative schemes to improve water supply.

At present, water requirement in the urban areas of the state is 6,500 million litres a day (MLD), against which the supply is only 4,575 MLD. Besides, there are about one lakh hand pumps in the urban areas.

The officials in UP Jal Nigam claim there is no shortage of water, the shortcomings lie in its management. “Over 40 per cent water gets wasted either by users or during supply,” an official said.

The problem in the rural areas is different — the requirement there is 14,000 MLD and the supply is mostly through hand pumps.

As per the records of UP Jal Nigam, of 2.60 lakh rural habitations in Uttar Pradesh, only 30,000 are getting water through pipeline supply.

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