Bhubaneswar, 29.10.2022: Indian Water Works Association (IWWA), Odisha Centre in collaboration with Odisha Water Academy (OWA), Government of Odisha has organized a workshop here today on ‘Urban Drinking Water Security’. While the Key Note address was delivered by G. Mathi Vathanan, Principal Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, Odisha, presentation on ‘Drink from Tap Mission in Puri city’ was deliberated by Er. P. K. Swain, CEO, WATCO
“The drinking water security journey of Odisha started from the prevailing precarious water situation during 2014 – 2015. We successfully implemented the universal coverage of piped water supply with 100 per cent house connections leaving no one behind and then Drink from Tap quality (IS 10500) water supply on 24×7 basis. In this journey, in 2021, Puri became the 1st city in India to drink straight from the tap with round the clock water supply” mentioned G. Mathi Vathanan, Principal Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, Government of Odisha.
Indian Water Works Association (IWWA), a nation-wide platform of more than 11,000 professionals across the country, concerned and connected with water supply for municipal, industrial, agricultural uses and treatment & disposal of wastewater since 1968.
More than 50 senior engineers and water sector experts from 29 IWWA centers across India and around 100 officials from Public Health Engineering Organization (PHEO), Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO) and Odisha Water Supply & Sewerage Board (OWSSB) under Housing & Urban Development Department together with Rural Water Supply & Sanitation (RWSS) under Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Department, Government of Odisha have participated in the workshop. The new IWWA Odisha Centre Governing Body was also formed here during the event.
Among other dignitaries IWWA National President Er. P. K. Sinha and General Secretary Er. Dayanand B. Panse, IWWA Odisha Centre Honorary Chairman Er. S. Laxmi Pati and Honorary Secretary Er. B. K. Parida, Water Sector Expert Chinmay Tripathy, Director, Odisha Water Academy Dr. Santanu Rath, RWSS Engineer-in-Chief Er. Hadibandhu Behera, PHEO Engineer-in-Chief Er. Rabindra Nath Naik, OWSSB Engineer-in-Chief Er. Prasanta K. Mohapatra were present. Shyamal Kishore, Public Relations Officer, WATCO has anchored the program.