Illegal connections, pump misuse trigger water crisis in Gittikhadan

Nagpur: A dangerous mix of illegal water connections, rampant use of pressure pumps and leaking sewage chambers has pushed large parts of Gittikhadan into a full-blown water crisis, with residents receiving foul, contaminated supply for over a week amid collapsing pressure.Localities including Telangkhedi, Manavta Nagar, Panchsheel Nagar, Azad Nagar and Gondtoli are among worst-hit. Residents say taps are running with "gutter-like" water, while supply pressure is so poor that even basic storage has become a struggle.Congress corporator Abhijeet Jha, who inspected the area, admitted that a faulty linkage between a newly laid water line and an existing sewer line led to contamination. "There has been a coordination failure. The sewer line got connected to the water line, allowing dirty water to enter the system. We are rectifying it and expect improvement in two to three days," he said.However, officials concede the crisis is rooted in deeper systemic failures. The NMC's public health engineering department has flagged rampant illegal tapping as a key reason behind both contamination and pressure loss. Unauthorised connections have weakened pipelines, creating leak points where sewage seeps into drinking water lines, especially in stretches running parallel to damaged sewer chambers.Orange City Water Limited (OCWL) deputy director Praveen Sharan said the situation has worsened due to unchecked use of illegal suction or "tullu" pumps. "Because of lack of police protection and public cooperation, the use of pressure pumps has increased significantly. These pumps disturb the pressure balance across the network, and combined with illegal tapping, they are severely affecting supply," he said.Sharan added that enforcement teams often face resistance on the ground, making it difficult to act against violators. OCWL has sought police assistance, but officials say manpower constraints and local opposition continue to hinder crackdowns.Residents say the crisis is not new. While contamination has intensified recently, low-pressure supply has persisted for months. "For two hours of supply, we barely get enough water. Now even that is dirty," a resident said. Sharan clarified that water supply hours in this part of the city have been increased, but rampant usage of pressure pumps is ending up with low-pressure water supply.With peak summer this season, the crisis has exposed a complete breakdown of planning, enforcement and accountability. Unless illegal connections are curbed, sewer leakages fixed, and strict action taken against pressure pump misuse, the city's water network risks further collapse, leaving thousands dependent on an increasingly unsafe supply.