Cuttack: Water consumption in the city saw a sharp rise during Dola Purnima and Holi, with authorities recording an additional use of around 21 million litres of water over Tuesday and Wednesday. Officials of the Water Corporation of Odisha (Watco) said, “The city consumed nearly 125 million litres of water per day during the festive period.” The spike was mainly attributed to residents using water while playing Holi and for cleaning homes, vehicles and streets after the celebrations. “Nearly 10.5 million litres of extra water was consumed each day during Dola Purnima and Holi celebrations. In total, about 21 million litres of additional water was used in two days,” said Baishnu Bhusan, head of Watco in Cuttack. He said the water supply system managed the increased demand smoothly without any major disruption across the city. The authorities had anticipated the temporary surge and ensured that supply remained stable in different localities. Engineers and field staff remained on alert, regulating pumping from water treatment plants and maintaining pressure across distribution networks to ensure uninterrupted supply in different parts of Cuttack. The coordinated effort helped the system handle the extra 21 million litres of water demand over two days without any major disruption, said Bhusan Officials added that the higher demand was largely seen in residential areas where groups gathered to celebrate the festival with colours and water. Consumption also increases after the celebrations as people wash clothes, vehicles and courtyards.These days several Holi parties were arranged across the city and which required large amounts of water. With summer approaching, officials urged residents to use water judiciously and avoid unnecessary wastage. The authorities said awareness about responsible water use during festivals is essential to ensure sustainable management of the city’s water resources.
