Major Milestone in Urban Water Supply Services
The Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO) has achieved 100 percent household water supply coverage across all 29 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) under its jurisdiction, marking a major milestone in Odisha’s urban infrastructure and public service delivery sector.
The achievement and the corporation’s future infrastructure roadmap were reviewed during a high-level meeting chaired by Housing and Urban Development Minister Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra in Bhubaneswar.
As of March 2026, WATCO is managing a large urban water supply network serving more than 4.91 million people through over 7.63 lakh household water connections across the state.
‘Drink From Tap’ Initiative Expands Across Odisha
WATCO’s flagship “Drink From Tap” (DFT) initiative has further strengthened urban water services in Odisha. At present, the project provides 24×7 potable drinking water supply in 11 Urban Local Bodies.
Officials informed that work is currently underway to expand the DFT system to 17 additional urban areas, while planning for implementation in Konark has also begun.
The corporation’s total water supply capacity has now reached 988.89 MLD, which is significantly higher than the present urban demand of 700.67 MLD. Officials stated that this surplus capacity will help ensure long-term urban water security in Odisha.
₹912 Crore Budget Fully Utilised in 2025–26
During the 2025–26 financial year, WATCO achieved 100 percent utilisation of its ₹912 crore budget allocated for water supply and sewerage infrastructure development.
The expenditure covered capital assets, operational costs, salary and non-salary components. In addition to state budget allocations, WATCO also spent more than ₹500 crore under AMRUT, OMBADC and other deposit funds to strengthen urban water and sanitation systems.
Encouraged by the progress, WATCO has prepared an ambitious expenditure plan of ₹920 crore for the 2026–27 financial year. The plan includes a dedicated allocation of ₹250 crore for sewerage capital assets aimed at improving urban sanitation infrastructure.
New Water Infrastructure Projects Strengthen Supply Network
As part of its infrastructure expansion programme, WATCO commissioned three new Water Treatment Plants and completed construction of 58 Elevated Service Reservoirs during the previous financial year.
The corporation is currently executing major infrastructure projects worth nearly ₹2,658.47 crore across Odisha.
Among the key projects is the nearly completed 130 MLD Water Treatment Plant for Bhubaneswar, along with expansion of sewerage networks in both slum and non-slum areas of the capital city.
Smart Water Metering Introduced in Five Cities
In a move towards technology-driven water management, WATCO has started installation of 50,000 smart water meters in five pilot cities — Bhubaneswar, Puri, Cuttack, Rourkela and Berhampur.
Officials said the smart metering system will improve billing efficiency, reduce non-revenue water losses and strengthen monitoring through digital resource management systems.
Major Sewerage Projects Planned Across Odisha
WATCO is also preparing to launch several large-scale projects worth more than ₹6,129 crore in the coming years.
These include a ₹1,682 crore sewerage project for Sambalpur and an ₹830.97 crore sewerage infrastructure project for Baripada.
The corporation said the projects are part of its long-term strategy to promote integrated urban development, environmental sustainability and improved sanitation services across Odisha.
Focus on Water Quality and Scientific Monitoring
To maintain high standards of water safety and quality, WATCO currently operates 14 third-party water testing laboratories under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode. Two additional laboratories are under development.
The corporation has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Bhubaneswar for advanced water quality monitoring and technical support.
The overall quality monitoring process is supervised by the dedicated Water Quality Assurance Cell (WQAC).
WATCO Targets World-Class Urban Civic Services
WATCO Managing Director Debabrata Mohanty said the corporation is integrating advanced technologies such as automated water supply systems, smart metering and scientific quality monitoring with large-scale infrastructure development.
He stated that WATCO aims to build a world-class urban water and sanitation ecosystem capable of meeting the demands of Odisha’s rapidly growing urban population.