Ponda: Construction of a 40 million litres per day (MLD) water treatment plant at Opa Water Works, which supplies drinking water to Tiswadi and Ponda talukas, has been delayed as the water resources department (WRD) is yet to issue the mandatory water availability certificate.The project involved upgrading the existing 8 MLD plant by doubling its filter beds. While the department of drinking water (DDW) construct water treatment plants, the WRD has to certify raw water availability.Assistant engineer Sunil Shet said the new plant was planned in the open space near the existing 8 MLD facility. He said the filtration capacity of the 8 MLD plant would also be increased to 16 MLD by doubling the filter beds from five to ten and adding a new pump.“The current five filter beds collectively filter around 8 MLD per day,” Shet said.Shet said that although the proposed plant would take about two to three years to complete, the water availability certificate was required first to secure project sanction.The project was primarily aimed at improving water supply to Smart City Panaji. Once commissioned, it was expected to enhance supply across Tiswadi taluka and to Madkai, Priol, and surrounding villages in Ponda taluka.Opa Water Works currently operates five treatment plants, 8 MLD, 12 MLD, 54 MLD, 40 MLD and 27 MLD, together supplying 152 MLD to Ponda and Tiswadi talukas.GFX TOTAL 26 FILTERS27 MLD – 5 40 MLD – 4 54 MLD – 8 12 MLD – 4 08 MLD – 5
