Decline in Ganga level, water crisis looms over Bhagalpur

The Barari Water Works, which has a capacity to supply 38 lakh gallons per day, distributes water to more than 80,000 households in Bhagalpur Municipal Corporation limits.

Bhagalpur: The sharp decline in water level of Ganga could be an indication of impending water crisis in Bihar’s Bhagalpur district, 230km from Patna, even before the onset of summer.

Intake well of Barari Water Works, in Bhagalpur. (HT photo)

The fall in the water level has already led to a drift of the river stream. Any further change in its course was likely to affect water supply to the intake well of Barari Water Works (BWW), which maintains the town’s water distribution network.

A technical team of the Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (BUIDCO) was here on Tuesday to assess the situation. Earlier, the Pan India Infraprojects Private Limited (PIIPL), had warned the BUIDCO of the problem. The PIIPL is partnering BUIDCO in executing the Asian Development Bank-funded water supply project here.

BUIDCO managing director Amrendra Prasad Singh told HT that the technical assessment report was awaited. Though there was no reason for concern at present, the BUIDCO wanted to have a contingency plan ready to meet any problem that could arise due to further reduction in Ganga water level, he said.

Referring to the special arrangement made last year to draw water from the river, Singh said the BUIDCO was contemplating steps to be taken in such situation.

PIIPL project manager Sashi Mohan said the water level was going down at the rate of 20-22 mm per week. At this rate, there could be serious problem in drawing water to the BWW intake well in another 10 days, Mohan added.

He said the normal supply of 12 MLD (million litre per day) to the BWW intake well was being maintained at present. Pumping water to the intake well from the place where water was available in the river was among other options under consideration, Mohan added.

The BWW, which has a capacity to supply 38 lakh gallons per day, distributes water to more than 80,000 households in Bhagalpur Municipal Corporation limits. The total water requirement to the town was around 180 lakh gallon per day.