Central Govt team reviews water supply project

A three-member team from the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, visited the Valla-based water treatment plant site in Amritsar to assess the progress of the Amritsar Bulk Water Supply Scheme (ABWSS), a project initiated by the Punjab Government under the national Jal Shakti Abhiyan.

The initiative aims to ensure continuous supply of clean drinking water to residents of Amritsar through sustainable use of surface water.

The team, consisting Bhart Bhushan Verma, Deputy CEO of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan; scientist Dr Shashikant; and district nodal officer Satnam Singh, was briefed by Senior Construction Manager Ashwani Sharma, who explained that the project plans to treat and supply water from the Upper Bari Doab Canal (UBDC) directly to households across the city. This shift from groundwater to surface water is a crucial step toward groundwater conservation in a region facing serious water table depletion.

Ashwani Sharma detailed that the ABWSS project involves the construction of an advanced water treatment facility with a capacity of 440 million litres per day near Valla. Additionally, the project includes laying a 112-kilometre-long pipeline network to connect the plant with water tanks across the city. A total of 45 new storage tanks are being constructed, nine with a capacity of 1 million litres, nine with 1.5 million litres, and 27 with 2 million litres. Simultaneously, 24 existing tanks are being renovated to integrate with the new system.

During the visit, Bhart Bhushan Verma expressed concern over Punjab’s fast-depleting groundwater levels. He highlighted that 117 out of Punjab’s 153 blocks have already been declared ‘dark zones’, indicating severe groundwater scarcity. All 10 blocks in Amritsar district fall within this category. He emphasised that the ABWSS will help shift water supply from groundwater sources to treated surface water, contributing to groundwater recharge and ensuring sustainable water availability for the city.

Once completed, the project will offer a consistent and high-quality water supply, moving beyond the current 10-12 hour limited schedule. The water supplied will adhere to ISO 10500-2012 quality standards. Furthermore, the city’s entire water supply system will be monitored in real-time through an advanced Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, allowing immediate detection and resolution of any faults.

Amritsar