Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Raising concerns over the growing demand on Goa’s drinking water infrastructure, Drinking Water Minister Subhash Phal Dessai said village panchayats should consult the Water Supply Department before granting approvals for new high-rise buildings to ensure adequate water availability.
He said every major residential or commercial project increases pressure on the existing water distribution network and stressed that water requirements should be assessed before construction permissions are issued.
“The panchayats should keep the department informed before clearing new high-rise projects. We need to evaluate the water demand of every new development and determine whether the existing infrastructure in that locality can meet the additional requirement,” Phal Dessai said.
The minister also cautioned against the unchecked rise in illegal constructions, stating that such developments could create long-term challenges for the State’s water supply system.
“If these structures are regularised in the future, the government will have to provide them with water connections, adding further pressure on the existing network,” he said.
Phal Dessai, however, maintained that Goa currently has adequate water resources to meet public demand. He said the State’s daily requirement is around 700 million litres per day (MLD) and expressed confidence that all reservoirs would reach full capacity within the next week due to continued monsoon rainfall.
He admitted that water leakages continue to be one of the biggest challenges for the department and said efforts are underway to minimise losses and improve the efficiency of the distribution system.
Highlighting improvements in water availability, the minister said the State’s dependence on water tankers has reduced by nearly 90 per cent during May compared to previous years.
He also announced that the government is working on a pilot project to utilise water stored in abandoned mining pits during emergencies. The initiative aims to create an alternative water source that can be activated whenever the State faces water stress.
