The CAG’s report for the period ended March 2024 tabled in the Assembly pointed out lack of cleaning of Overhead Tanks and sumps for maintaining the quality of water supplied to residents. A view of the overhead tank at Uppalam in Puducherry.
| Photo Credit: S.S. KUMAR
Several places in Puducherry continue to face shortage in supply of potable water despite the assurances given by subsequent governments to find solution for providing clean water to the residents. The issue also echoed in the recently-held Budget session of the Legislative Assembly where several legislators complained about government’s apathy in addressing the problem of supplying clean drinking water.Cutting across party lines, the legislators, during the general discussion on the 2026-27 Budget and the demand for grants, appealed to the government to find an early solution to the problem faced by a large section of residents in urban and rural areas of Puducherry.“People are complaining on a daily basis about the quality of water supplied. They complain of foul-smell and high salinity in the water supplied. The residents complain about discoloured tap water. Even economically weaker sections of the society are compelled to spend money for buying can water,” said a legislator during the discussion in the Assembly.CAG validates concernsThe report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India for the period ended March 2024, which was placed in the Assembly on the last day of the Budget session, has validated the concerns expressed by the legislators. The reports says that 38% of the water samples tested did not conform to the prescribed standards with respect to bacteriological parameters. Though the test reports of 25 out of the 26 samples drawn from places in Puducherry and Karaikal regions, were shown as satisfactory with respect to chemical analysis, the value of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) levels in respect of 21 samples exceeded the acceptable limit of 500 mg/I. Further, total hardness in terms of Calcium Carbonate present in respect of 12 samples exceeded the acceptable limit of 200 mg/l and chloride content in 13 samples was above the permissible limit of 250 mg/l. A review of water sample testing data from the PWD laboratory, Puducherry, for the period 2020-24 revealed that 42 water samples had an iron content exceeding the permissible limit across the Commune Panchayats of Ariankuppam, Villianur, Bahour, Mannadipet and Nettapakkam, the report said.The report has pointed out that many people are dissatisfied with the quality of water supplied. The audit also pointed out lack of cleaning of Overhead Tanks and sumps for maintaining the quality of water supplied to residents. The report has pointed out shortcomings in the implementation of Centre’s ambitious Jal Jeevan Mission to provide functional household tap connections.Budgetary supportAccording to a senior official, provisions have been made in the current budget to improve the quality of water supplied. A project to modernise the drinking water supply system across the Union Territory was being planned with financial assistance from the French Development Agency. Specific schemes were being planned for residential areas in the town where intrusion of seawater was more.Plans are afoot for the establishment of water treatment plants at Brindavanam and Siddhantasamy Nagar, augmentation of drinking water supply and rehabilitation of pipelines in Muthialpet, restoration of water supply in the Tsunami Rehabilitation Colony at Kalapet and integrated drinking water supply at Pillaiyarkuppam and Chinna Kalapet. The works would be implemented at a cost of around ₹97 crore, the official said.“Besides, we are planning to establish 50 purified drinking water dispensing stations in urban and rural areas, particularly at locations where TDS levels were very high,” the official added. Published - September 03, 2026 08:39 pm IST
