Pic for representation onlyHubballi: In many areas of Hubballi, the drinking water supply has not improved, with several localities receiving water only once every 7 days, and the gap extending to 9 or even 10 days during power interruptions or other operational issues. This irregular schedule has created serious hardship for residents, especially in the city’s 44 wards classified as intermittent supply wards, where the situation remains consistently difficult.
Najeer Honyal, a corporator from Ward No. 71, said half of his ward got partial 24X7 water supply, while the other half received water supply once in 7 days, 9 days, and 13 days.He also said families were forced to store water for long periods, often in unsuitable containers, increasing the risk of contamination and waterborne illness. When supply arrived, it was frequently for a short duration and at low pressure, making it difficult for households on upper floors or at the tail end of distribution lines to collect enough water.Many residents spent hours waiting, monitoring valves, and managing storage, disrupting work, school, and daily routines. The burden fell heavily on women, elderly people, and those with health conditions who cannot easily carry or manage heavy containers, he added.Arif Bhadrapur, corporator of Ward No. 53, said his ward currently received water supply once in 8 to 10 days; earlier, it received water supply once in 15 days. The extended gaps pushed households to depend on private tankers, packaged water, or informal sources, increasing monthly expenses and widening inequality between those who could afford alternatives and those who could not. In many areas of Old Hubballi, residents reported conflicts over access, with queues, disputes, and complaints rising whenever supply was delayed.Power failures and equipment breakdowns appeared to be a major trigger for delays, indicating that the system lacked adequate backup arrangements and rapid-response maintenance. The continued classification of these 44 wards as intermittent highlighted a persistent service gap that needed urgent attention.Sources in HDMC said that under the World Bank-assisted project to expand 24X7 water supply to all wards, the laying of 29.5 km raw water trunk main (RWTM) from Savadatti jackwell to Amminbhavi WTP was complete, with a small stretch remaining in the 17.9 km clear water trunk main (CWTM) from Amminbhavi to Rayapur.As the 43 MLD water treatment plant (WTP) at Amminbhavi was in the final stage, authorities were planning to improve the water supply frequency in intermittent wards by Feb end or March 1.Mayor Jyothi Patil said that the water supply frequency in intermittent wards will be increased gradually so that all wards get water once every three days.
