With low or no supply of water Bardez taluka is on the brink of facing water scarcity this summer season as people have already started complaining of no water as summer is on us.
Dried wells and no water in other natural water sources, today people are totally dependent on Public Water Supply. There are around 55,000 connections in whole of Bardez and every day at least 10 new household connections get added to the number with the supply of water, however, remaining the same. The Assnora water treatment plant receives 100 to 120 MLT raw water per day from which around 92 to 95 MLT fresh water is being supplied to the whole of Bardez. Sources said the demand has surpassed the supply. However, since the plant’s capacity is 100 MLT, the plant treats only 100 to 120 MLT water per day. Meanwhile since the supply of water is not according to the requirement, villages such as Chapora-Anjuna, Calangute, Candolim face major water scarcity. The water requirement of Calangute Candolim is 30 MLT, however, the amount of water supplied is 20 MLT. To add to this already existing water shortage, some get water on alternate days or after 2 or 3 days, others get water for only two to four hours daily, forcing people to store water.
Since Candolim, Calangute and Anjuna villages are located at the end point of Bardez, factor like technical issues, bursting of pipeline, low power voltage and less pressure to the pump create problems in water supply.
Since Thivim is at the starting point of the water supply and close by to the Water Treatment plant of Assnora, people here get proper supply of water, but by the time water reaches to Calangute Candolim the pressure is less.
When asked about the replacement or change of pipeline, the officials said, the existing pipeline is designed after taking into consideration the next 30 years .
Sources informed that another water treatment plant has been designed at Guirim with a capacity of 25 MLT, however the project is still into pipeline.
Locals claimed that since Calangute and Candolim are located on beach belt and people here are completely dependent on tourism business, the lack of water and constant power fluctuation is affecting their house hold chores and businesses too.
A local John Fernandes said,” What kind of development is this when people are not getting their basic needs? Water is one of the basic and important needs. However, the problem of water scarcity haunts Candolim throughout the year and now since summer has just begun, it’s difficult to survive without light and water”.
