It is an irony that while the Chapoli Dam at Canacona has ample water storage facilities, the poor water distribution system has left residents elsewhere in the taluka digging up pits in dried riverbeds in a desperate bid to collect potable water for their daily needs.
For many of these residents, the day begins with a hunt for potable water as they have been left with no option but to make alternative arrangements due to inadequate PWD water arrangements in the taluka.
The Chapoli Dam has sufficient water supply and sources in the Water Resources Department disclosed that the present storage of over 32 RL (Reduced Level) is way over the seasonal storage around this time of the year.
However, the situation is quite different at the Shristhal Water Treatment Plant (15 MLD plant), as the water treatment is believed to be below its capacity. This plant also gets water supply from the river at Ordhofond-Bhatpal.
“Since the 15 MLD treatment plant is not put to its optimum use due to different problems, the supply to different regions suffers, ultimately making mockery of the domestic distribution system,” admitted an officer from the PWD (water supply) section.
While some areas in Canacona, including the municipal area, gets water from domestic taps running for certain hours each day, household taps in other areas, including Agonda, Loliem, Poinguinim and Shristhal, run only for about 40 minutes and that too, only on alternate days.
“A well in the locality is our only drinking water source, but it has limited water and is unable to meet the requirements of many surrounding houses. We do not have a tap and there is no water supplied by PWD tankers,” complained Savio Fernandes of Voile-Agond in Agonda.
“Given the scarcity of potable water, I dug up a pit in the riverbed of a river which has gone dry and we use this water for our needs and also for my cattle,” Fernandes added.
Incidentally, Agonda and many other areas continue to be hit by water scarcity, despite having a sufficient water storage dam in the taluka.
Residents in remote areas of Poinguinim, Loliem, Agonda and Khola, besides Gaondongrim and Cotigao, also forced to dig pits in the riverbeds as soon as these water bodies go dry.
