Bhubaneswar, May 9: The Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO) has achieved a major milestone in urban service delivery by ensuring 100% household water supply coverage across all 29 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) under its jurisdiction. The achievement and future infrastructure roadmap of the corporation were reviewed during a recent high-level meeting chaired by Housing & Urban Development Minister Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra.
As of March 2026, WATCO is managing a comprehensive urban water supply network serving an estimated population of over 4.91 million through 7,63,082 household water connections.
The achievement has been further strengthened through the successful implementation of the flagship “Drink from Tap” (DFT) initiative, which currently provides 24×7 potable water supply in 11 ULBs. Work is actively underway to extend the DFT system to 17 additional urban areas, while planning for implementation in Konark is also in progress.
WATCO’s present water supply capacity has reached 988.89 MLD, significantly exceeding the current urban demand of 700.67 MLD, thereby ensuring sustainable and long-term water security for urban Odisha.
During the financial year 2025–26, WATCO recorded 100% utilization of its ₹912 crore budget allocated towards water supply and sewerage infrastructure, including capital assets, salary, and non-salary components. In addition to the State Budget allocation, WATCO also incurred expenditure of more than ₹500 crore under AMRUT, OMBADC and other deposit funds for expansion and strengthening of urban water and sanitation infrastructure.
Building upon this momentum, WATCO has prepared an ambitious expenditure plan of ₹920 crore for 2026–27. The plan includes a dedicated allocation of ₹250 crore towards sewerage capital assets aimed at expanding urban sanitation coverage alongside water supply services.
As part of its infrastructure expansion drive, WATCO commissioned three new Water Treatment Plants and completed construction of 58 Elevated Service Reservoirs during the previous financial year, significantly strengthening urban water distribution systems.
The corporation is presently executing major infrastructure projects worth approximately ₹2,658.47 crore across the state. Key projects include the near completion of the 130 MLD Water Treatment Plant for Bhubaneswar and expansion of sewerage networks covering both slum and non-slum areas of the capital city.
In line with its technology-driven approach, WATCO has initiated installation of 50,000 smart water meters across five pilot cities — Bhubaneswar, Puri, Cuttack, Rourkela and Berhampur — to improve billing efficiency, reduce non-revenue water and strengthen resource management through smart monitoring systems.
Additionally, WATCO is preparing to undertake major upcoming projects valued at over ₹6,129 crore. These include a ₹1,682 crore sewerage project for Sambalpur and an ₹830.97 crore sewerage system for Baripada, reflecting the corporation’s long-term commitment towards integrated urban development and environmental sustainability.
To ensure the highest standards of water safety and quality, WATCO currently operates 14 third-party water testing laboratories under PPP mode, while two additional laboratories are under development. WATCO has also signed an MoU with IIT Bhubaneswar for advanced water quality monitoring and technical support. The entire quality monitoring mechanism is supervised by the dedicated Water Quality Assurance Cell (WQAC).
By integrating advanced technologies such as automated water supply systems, smart metering and scientific quality monitoring with large-scale infrastructure development, WATCO continues to strengthen Odisha’s urban water and sanitation ecosystem and deliver world-class civic services aligned with the pace of rapid urbanization, informed Managing Director, WATCO, Debabrata Mohanty.
