Mayor Gautam Deb on Thursday urged residents of the Siliguri civic area to reduce water consumption during the next fortnight as repairs would be taken up by the state irrigation department at the Teesta canal's embankment.

Every day, water is drawn from the Teesta canal to a treatment plant in Fulbari on the southern outskirts of Siliguri. From there, it is supplied to all the 47 wards through a network of pipelines and reservoirs.

“The irrigation department will start repairs at the embankment of Teesta canal from Friday. We will be able to maintain the water supply for the next three or four days. After that, supply will be disrupted. I will, therefore, request residents here to reduce water consumption during this period,” said Deb.

Sources said that the irrigation department had estimated around a month’s time for repairs.

“The SMC (Siliguri Municipal Corporation), however, insisted that the work should finish within a fortnight, keeping the people of Siliguri in mind. The department agreed,” said a source.

The mayor also announced a helpline (7557035194) for residents. “It will be functional round the clock and people can call in case of any water-related emergency,” he said.

During this period, the SMC will also engage 21 tankers to supply drinking water. Also, the state public health engineering department will distribute water pouches daily.

At the treatment plant, the PHE department is building an alternative intake well through which water drawn from the canal can be stored for treatment.

“Earlier, those in power at the SMC didn’t take the initiative to build this alternative well. It could have helped us handle an emergency,” said Deb.

The civic body, he said, is spending Rs 6.9 crore on this intake well.