(Noida): The Noida Authority is set to begin supplying Ganga water to housing societies in sectors 128-135 by February 15, 2025, replacing the use of groundwater. A 5.5 km pipeline has already been installed, and the testing is complete. The project has been allocated a budget of Rs 4.95 crore, with future plans to extend the supply to sectors 150 and 151 along the Noida Expressway.
Housing societies in sectors 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 134, and 135 have long been relying on groundwater, but the water quality has been poor, creating difficulties for residents. The Noida Authority has prioritised the installation of the pipeline to address this issue and provide a more reliable and cleaner water supply.
Lokesh M, CEO of the Noida Authority, mentioned, “We have instructed the water works department to expedite the pipeline installation process so that Ganga water can be delivered promptly. Testing of the pipeline is complete, and we plan to start the supply by February 15, 2025.”
A budget of Rs 4.95 crore was approved for the project during a recent board meeting. Once this phase is completed, the Noida Authority plans to extend the Ganga water supply further to residential areas in sectors 150 and 151, located along the Noida Expressway.
The city of Noida requires approximately 400 million litres of water per day to meet its needs. Currently, 240 million litres are sourced from the Upper Ganga canal, while the remainder comes from underground sources.
To support this new supply, a 5.5 km pipeline has been laid, connecting the underground reservoir in Sector 69 to Sectors 137 and 132. Recently, the water works department completed testing various sections of the pipeline, including networks with diameters of 500 mm, 800 mm, and 900 mm. During testing, some damages were identified and have been repaired to ensure a smooth water supply.
However, the Noida Authority is facing challenges with its groundwater infrastructure. Currently, five of the eleven Ranney wells are out of service, and 126 of the 431 tube wells are non-operational due to technical issues. This has led to supply shortages during peak demand periods, such as during festivals. To resolve this, the Noida Authority plans to repair the five Ranney wells and maintain a reliable water supply, especially during the annual desilting of the Upper Ganga canal in November and December.
