Odisha steps up efforts to restore Berhampur water supply after cyclone
The Housing and Urban Development Department is working to fix the Janivili Intake to meet the city's daily water needs.
The Housing and Urban Development Department of the Odisha government has increased emergency actions to bring normal water services back to Berhampur after the impact of cyclone Arnab, according to Sambad English and Odisha Bytes.
As of 10 AM on November 1, the city is receiving 70 MLD of water against a daily requirement of 90 MLD. This supply consists of 64 MLD from surface water and 6 MLD from 15 production wells, with 20 tankers, including 12 private ones, deployed to assist affected areas.
Work to repair the Janivili Intake is a priority. On November 1, labourers began constructing a sandbag barrier across Connecticut Nala at 5 AM to restrict water flow. The operation involves 120 labourers, three excavators, and two tractors, with plans to use approximately 20,000 sandbags.
To protect public health, officials are using enhanced chlorination at treatment plants. This includes pre-chlorination at 4 ppm, post-chlorination at 10 ppm, and 2 ppm chlorination in tail-end distribution zones.
Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee, Municipal Administration Director Arindam Dakua, and WATCO Managing Director Debabrata Mohanty are monitoring the response. While Berhampur undergoes repairs, water supply in Hinjilicut and Gopalpur is reported to be functioning smoothly.