The drinking water supply in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) area will be affected for a fortnight from may 10 as the state irrigation department will repair the embankment of the Teesta river at Gajoldoba which is around 25km from here.

Mayor Gautam Deb said on Sunday that because of the repairs, the water supply to the Teesta canal would be disrupted. He said there had been damage downstream the Teesta because of the flash flood in the river on October 4 last year. The river’s embankment at Gajoldoba was damaged and the aquatic life was disrupted by silt which was brought downstream in huge quantities by the flood.

“Our main source of water is the Teesta canal from where water is pumped into the treatment plant (at Fulbari, Siliguri). Because of the repairs and maintenance works by the irrigation department at Gajoldoba, this supply will be hit,” said Deb.

The mayor said if no water were available in the Teesta canal, the SMC would have to depend on the Mahananda river. “However, considering the water level of the Mahananda, it is unlikely that we will get the water we need. So, the drinking water supply in the Siliguri civic area will be affected for two weeks from May 10 when the irrigation department will start the work,” Deb added.

Every day, the SMC supplies drinking water to residents of all 47 wards from the treatment plant through a network of pipelines. The water is stored in overhead and ground reservoirs spread across the city and supplied to stand-posts and households.

Sources said as the monsoon was drawing near, the irrigation department had approached the Election Commission for permission to finish the work ahead of the rainy season.

“The EC has granted permission, considering the urgency to finish the work. The tender process is complete and work will commence next week,” the source added.

During this period, the civic body and the state PHE department have drawn up plans to provide drinking water to people through alternative ways. They include water tankers and water pouches.

“In the civic area, 15 tankers, each with a capacity of 3,000 litres, would be engaged. Also, one lakh water pouches will be distributed in the wards through borough offices daily,” said Deb.