Patna: Patna’s drinking water system is set for a major transformation as the Bihar government moves ahead with plans to replace the city’s dependence on groundwater with a treated Ganga water supply network.
The project, being implemented under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme, aims to provide treated river water to households across all 75 municipal wards by 2029.
The Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (BUIDCO) has completed the survey for the project, taking into account the city’s projected population growth over the next 35 years, up to 2059.
Planned For A Growing City
According to the project blueprint, the new water supply system has been designed to meet the needs of a population expected to exceed 33 lakh (3.31 million) by 2059.
The scheme proposes supplying 155.25 litres of treated water per person per day, with infrastructure planned to accommodate increasing demand over the coming decades.
By the time the project is completed in 2029, Patna’s population is projected to reach 23.81 lakh (2.381 million), requiring a daily water supply of 406.259 million litres.
By 2044, the population is expected to rise to 28.08 lakh (2.808 million), increasing daily demand to 477.899 million litres.
The system’s final design target is 2059, when Patna’s population is estimated to reach 33.10 lakh (3.31 million), with an anticipated daily water requirement of 561.830 million litres.
Infrastructure And Land Acquisition
The project includes the construction of one water treatment plant and two intake wells to draw raw water from the Ganges for treatment and distribution.
Implementation requires 57 land parcels, of which 44 government-owned sites have already been identified.
According to officials, land has been secured for all proposed water reservoirs in Bankipur and Patna City.
In Kankarbagh, land has been identified for seven of the eight planned sites, while Patliputra has secured five of the ten required locations.
Land acquisition remains pending in the Azimabad and Nutan Rajdhani areas, where officials say delays continue to affect the project.
Intake Wells Planned At Digha And Gaighat
Two intake wells, along with floating jetties, will be constructed at Digha and Gaighat to draw water directly from the Ganges.
The proposed Digha intake well will have a treatment capacity of 281 million litres per day (MLD). Operating for 20 hours daily, it will be capable of drawing up to 337.5 MLD of river water.
A second intake well with the same 281 MLD capacity will be established at Gaighat in Patna City.
Water collected from both locations will be transported to the central treatment plant before being supplied through the city’s pipeline network.
The government said the project is intended to create a long-term, sustainable drinking water system capable of meeting Patna’s growing urban demand while reducing dependence on groundwater resources.
