VIJAYAWADA: In a proactive move to tackle the rising summer heat, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has ramped up its drinking water facilities across the city, ensuring easy access to safe and chilled water for residents and visitors alike.
This year, the civic body has expanded its network to 89 water kiosks, marking a significant increase from last year and reinforcing its focus on public health and convenience.
These kiosks are designed to supply clean and safe reverse osmosis (RO) drinking water, ensuring both quality and hygiene. Notably, the water provided is not only purified but also cooled, offering much-needed relief to people amid rising temperatures. The kiosks are operational daily from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, making them accessible during the busiest hours of the day.
To support this initiative, the VMC operates two major RO water plants (along with coolers) one located at the Head Water Works with a capacity of 5,000 litres, and the other at the VMC main office with a capacity of 4,000 litres.
These plants play a crucial role in maintaining a steady supply of purified water to the kiosks spread across the city.
Ensuring uninterrupted availability, three designated vehicles have been deployed to refill water at the kiosks throughout the day. These vehicles operate continuously, transporting purified water from the plants to various distribution points, thereby preventing shortages even during peak usage hours.
“The VMC’s water kiosks have brought great relife many visitors like me,’’ said Morla Siva Nagaraju, a motorcyclist.
Meanwhile, in addition to the kiosks, the VMC is also addressing the needs of residents in suburban areas by supplying water through tankers.
This step has been particularly beneficial for areas facing limited access to regular water supply, ensuring that no section of the population is left without essential drinking water. Currently the VMC is providing water through 13 tankers to the needy areas daily as part of the VMC Summer Action Plan.
The initiative marks an expansion compared to last year, when 74 water kiosks were installed across the city.
Each kiosk is equipped with six water cans, with each can having a capacity of 20 litres, allowing for efficient storage and distribution.
With these, the VMC aims to ensure that citizens and visitors have easy access to safe and cool drinking water, reinforcing its commitment to public health and welfare during the summer months.
“Expecting peak summer we have increased the number to 89 places which was confined to 74 last year. Designated persons and vehicles are working to quench the public thirst,” said VMC Incharge CE Satya Kumari to TNIE.