BHUBANESWAR: The state government has stepped up efforts to ensure round-the-clock drinking water supply in urban areas by investing Rs 1,500 crore under the flagship SUJALA programme for 2026-27.
A high-level review of the Public Health Engineering Organisation’s (PHEO) annual action plans for 2026-27 to 2028-29 chaired by additional chief secretary Usha Padhee on Saturday assessed the progress and outlined a phased roadmap to achieve universal 24x7 water supply across all urban local bodies (ULBs).
According to official projections, the population across 86 ULBs in the state is estimated to be around 31.5 lakh. Currently, these areas receive a combined supply of around 452 million litres per day (MLD).
The state has already covered nine ULBs under round-the-clock water supply initiative during 2025-26. In order to accelerate the coverage, the department has planned to take up 38 ULBs each in 2026-27 and 2027-28.
Under SUJALA, 544 water supply projects have been sanctioned by the government so far. Of these, 289 projects have been completed, while the rest are in progress. For 2026-27, a total of 391 projects, including 102 new ones, are planned with an estimated outlay of Rs 1,500 crore. In addition, 92 projects worth Rs 978 crore are scheduled for execution in 2027-28.
The projects aim to strengthen infrastructure, expand distribution networks and ensure uninterrupted water access for urban households. Padhee directed officials to fast-track project execution and ensure timely completion. She also instructed them to ensure efficient fund utilisation to maintain momentum and advised departments to explore alternative water sources and discourage use of treated drinking water for non-essential purposes such as gardening, vehicle washing and construction work, etc.
