Guwahati

 

WATER SUPPLY STATUS IN GUWAHATI CITY – PAST AND PRESENT

S.R. Saikia

        Once upon a time Pragjyotishpur, (the old name of Guwahati), was the capital of ancient kings of Assam. After getting statehood, Guwahati was the regional administrative centre from the year 1826 to 1874. During the period, though Shillong was the capital of the erstwhile Assam, yet Guwahati was recognised as a prime city of the erstwhile Assam.

        In the year 1901, the population of Guwahati, as per census, was only 11,661 and the area of the town was 4.5 sq.km. But slowly the population starts growing by passing of years and in 1951 its population rose to 84,601. In 1961 its population shoot upto 1,66,695. This rapid growth of population from 1951 to 1961, was due to establishment of many educational institutions, Govt. offices, business establishments, railway head quarter, refinery, High Court etc.

        After independence, trade, commerce, education etc. started developing in Guwahati and the growth of population increased. After creation of Meghalaya state 1970, the capital of Assam was shifted to Dispur and so Guwahati experienced heavy pressure of population growth became extreme. According to the census of 2001, the population of Guwahati became more than 8 lakhs and city area extended to 216 s.q km.

        For the first time, Guwahati was recognized as a town in 1853 and in the same year the first town committee was formed with the total population of 3000 only. In the year 1878, the Guwahati was recognized as the 1^st class Municipal town. At that time Guwahati had no piped water supply system for the general public and people used to manage their necessary water for the purpose of dinking and other uses from individual sources like hand tube wells, ring well etc. Even some people used spring water available near the foothills. Due to absence of pollution or contamination, people could have used those spring water without fear of health hazard. Most of the people used ring well water which were not depleted due to constant recharge by underground spring and percolated water of heavy rainfall.

        Of late, it was felt necessary of installation of piped water supply scheme with scientific treatment facilities and accordingly in 1978, State P.W.D. installed the first piped water supply scheme at Satpukhuri, Uzan Bazar, near the river Brahmaputra at a cost of only Rs. 25,000.00. Water from Brahmaputra was drawn by pumping and water was treated by slow sand filtration plant for which seven ponds or pukhuri was used and the plant was named “Satpukhuri Plant”. The scheme of supplied water was restricted to the residents in its Uzan Bazar, Panbazar and Fancy Bazar area. This scheme was maintained by P.W.D. for long 47 years, and then it was handed over to Municipal Committee in 1925.

        At that time the water supply project of Guwahati was looked after by an English Engineer named Mr. John and his designation was Superintendent. After him the next Superintendent, was Lakhi Kanta Das during the tenure of Gopinath Bordoloi who was the Premier of the composite state of Assam. From Lakhi Kanta Das, Tita Ram Kakati took over charge of Superintendent of the water supply scheme. While the author joined Guwahati Municipal Corporation in 1991 as Chief Engineer, Ramani Choudhury was in-charge of that post. Consumers never forget the sincerity and dedication of these officers, for their services in maintaining the scheme.  

        After independence Guwahati became the hub of trade, commerce, education, tourism etc. due to airway, railway, and surface transport facilities. People from different parts of Assam and neighbouring states used to settle down at Guwahati and the population shoot up. Accordingly the demand of potable water increased and satpukhuri plant production became insufficient to meet the enhanced requirements. At that juncture, it was decided to install a water supply project of higher capacity and accordingly a new project at the estimated cost of Rs. 60 lakhs with the capacity of 45 mld. (million litre per day) was sanctioned in 1958. The site of the treatment plant was finalized at the historical Jubilee Garden. The installation work was entrusted to Bridge and Building company under the supervision of Municipal Committee. This new scheme was completed in 1962. As per Municipal Corporation Act, 1973, Guwahati Municipal body was entrusted with the responsibility to supply drinking water to all the residents of the town and in 1974 the status of Guwahati Municipal body was elevated to Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC). At that time Guwahati Water Supply Scheme at Panbazar and old satpukhuri scheme was the only sources of drinking water in GMC. In 1985 a new scheme was taken at satpukhuri with the capacity of 22.50 mld. and completed in 1985 which eased the water stress to some extent.

        As per 2001 census, population of Guwahati become 8,18,575 in 60 wards spreading over the area of 216.19 sq.km. In the year 1977, State PHE Department installed a scheme namely Dispur Water Supply Scheme during Congress session to supply water to the delegates as well as the state capital establishments. After creation of Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Board another scheme was taken up for supplying drinking water to the residents of Zoo Road area and it was completed by the Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Board by 1996. The Kamakhya Water Supply Scheme was installed by GMC in 1992 for supply of water to the temple area and the residents of Kamakhya hill top. 

        The drinking water supply status of Guwahati City as on 2001 may be shown as below :-

Sl No	Name of  Scheme	Capacity of Plant	Year of Completion	Name of Department
	Panbazar W.S.S.	45 mld.	1962	GMC
	Dispur W.S.S.	11.25 mld.	1977	PHE Department
	Satpukhuri W.S.S.	22.50 mld.	1985	GMC
	Kamakhya W.S.S.	4.90 mld.	1992	GMC
	Zoo Road W.S.S.	12.60 mld.	1996	UWS & SB

Besides the above schemes, NEF railways and Guwahati Refinery have their own departmental water supply schemes. Though the capacity of the plants increased from time to time, these schemes can hardly cater the drinking water to 30% of the total population of Guwahati City. Therefore, drinking water still remains as a burning problem for the city of Guwahati, although the mighty Brahmaputra is flowing nearby with unpolluted water. 

        To ease this serious drinking water problem, a mega scheme was mooted by Guwahati Metropolitan Department Authority (GMDA) in the year 2009. The scheme is divided into four zones namely –

 (1) South West Guwahati Zone, 

(2) Central South Guwahati Zone, 

(3) South East Guwahati Zone and             

(4) North Guwahati Zone. 

    As estimated, Guwahati needs 472 million litre of water everyday but the existing schemes can hardly produce and supply only 105 million litre of water everyday. The main purpose of the above new schemes is to produce additional 367 million litre of water.          South West Guwahati Scheme is designed to produce 107 mld water and to cover the area from Bharalumukh to GNB international airport. Its raw water source is river Brahmaputra and it is funded by JNNURM. The work of the scheme is almost completed and may be commissioned at any time after completion of remaining 5% of work. Among all four zones, South Central Guwahati Scheme has the highest capacity of 191 mld. This scheme was started in 2012 with the aim of commissioning in 2016, but unfortunately the progress is far behind the schedule. This scheme is financed by JICA (Japan International Co-operation Agency). Highest percentage of population of middle parts of Guwahati is expected to be benefited from this scheme. The capacity of South East Guwahati Scheme is 99 mld. Like other schemes the source of raw water of this scheme also is river Brahmaputra and it is financed by Asian Development Bank. Except procurement of pipes and some minimum constructional works, most of the major works are yet to taken up. Target date of commissioning of this scheme is uncertain. The only water supply project taken for supplying water to the residents of North Guwahati has the capacity of 37 mld. and its cost of installation will be supported by JICA. Though laying of distribution pipes, intake work including raw water pipeline and some other works have progressed much, yet the scheme may need about two years to commission. 

        The people of Guwahati are eagerly waiting for solution of their burning problem of drinking water since a long period. When a pipeline is laid in their area, they hope to get drinking water during 24 hours, everyday, every week. But when ?  ten years already passed, not a single project is commissioned. Inspite of that the residents of Guwahati are patiently waiting with the hope –“someday we will get treated water from Brahmaputra in our pipelines.”

        (The author is a retired Chief Engineer of PHE Department who also served as Chief Engineer, Water Works, GMC on deputation).

         Phone No. 94350-40097