Goa's Public Works Department has begun connecting homes on Kadamba Plateau to its water network, laying a 4-5 km pipeline since 2021. Nearly 200 houses now have water access, with ongoing efforts to extend connections to residential complexes. Challenges include elevational issues requiring additional overhead tanks for complexes and upgrades to Opa's water treatment plants. Lack of prior planning by builders led to reliance on private borewells, straining existing infrastructure. Options like a new 10 MLD treatment plant at Opa are considered, needing substantial investment. While individual homes benefit, timelines for complex connections remain unclear amid efforts to address water demand and elevation challenges.
The Public Works Department (PWD) in Goa has finally begun connecting houses on Kadamba Plateau to the state's water supply network. After laying a 4-5 kilometre pipeline since 2021, they have provided connections to nearly 200 individual houses. However, the project to cover the entire plateau and provide connections to thousands of units in residential complexes is still ongoing.
Officials say that even though the new pipeline connects the plateau to the network, individual houses will be prioritised for water supply before apartment complexes. There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, the location of the apartment complexes at higher elevations necessitates additional overhead tanks, which are still being planned. Secondly, the existing Opa water treatment plants, which currently serve Tiswadi and Ponda talukas, need to be upgraded to handle the increased demand from the entire Kadamba Plateau.
This situation can be partly attributed to a lack of planning during the construction of these apartment complexes.Builders did not inform the PWD about the estimated 1,500 units being built and instead relied on private borewells for water supply. The existing infrastructure is inadequate to handle the water needs of these units.
The PWD is exploring options to address the water needs of apartment complexes. Building a new 10 million litres per day (MLD) water treatment plant at Opa specifically for Kadamba Plateau is a possible solution, but this would require significant investment and planning.
For residents of individual houses, the new pipeline connections have been a welcome relief. They now receive piped water and benefit from government schemes offering free water for limited usage. Residents like Ajit Bhonsle, who previously relied on water tankers every four days, are happy with the improved water situation.
While the situation has improved for individual homes, a timeline for connecting apartment complexes to the state water supply network remains unclear. Residents of these units may have to wait for some time as the PWD develops a long-term solution to address the challenges of elevation and increased water demand.
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