PHED announces cuts in water supply

Jaipur: The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) has rolled out a strategy to ensure uninterrupted water supply during the peak summer season, which includes planned power cuts in select city areas during water distribution.

According to PHED officials, the initiative aims to guarantee fair water distribution, especially to tail-end regions that share the same network.

"The plan is to shut down power for 20 to 30 minutes when we are supplying water for an hour. During this period, water reaches the last-mile areas with better pressure, preventing homes along the route from siphoning off excess water," a PHED official explained.

A senior engineer said many households have installed booster pumps, and despite efforts by circle offices, not all unauthorised connections have been identified before the peak period. The new approach is expected to curb water misuse by residents using illegal booster connections.

"It won't be a permanent rule, but an exception where necessary. Areas already receiving 24/7 water supply won't face major disruptions," the engineer said.

During a review meeting, Sunday, PHED minister Kanhaiyalal Choudhary instructed officials to launch a campaign against illegal water connections and unauthorised booster pump usage.

PHED officials assured residents that the likelihood of water scarcity in Jaipur is lower this year compared to last.

"We have sufficient water stored at the Bisalpur Dam for this peak season, and the supply line from Surajpura Pump House has been restored. This will allow us to transfer excess water to Jaipur, unlike last year," a PHED official said.