Puri’s Drinkable Tap Water and India’s Purifier Paradox

Odisha’s Puri has emerged as India’s first city where residents can safely drink water straight from the tap, marking a rare public health milestone. The achievement stands in sharp contrast to many Indian cities where unsafe tap water forces households to rely on bottled water or home purifiers, often with fatal consequences from contamination. Puri’s success has reignited debate on why dependence on private purification reflects systemic failure rather than economic progress.

How Puri Achieved Safe Tap Water

Puri’s tap water meets standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards, making it certified fit for direct consumption. The groundwork was laid under former chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s ‘Sujal — Drink From Tap Mission’ launched in 2021, aligned with the Centre’s AMRUT programme. Odisha had earlier piloted the ‘Drink from Tap’ initiative in 2017, making it the first state to guarantee potable water at household taps. By 2025, Puri, with a population of about three lakh, achieved 24×7 drinkable tap water coverage.

Technology, Monitoring, and Community Role

Water safety in Puri is ensured through multi-stage treatment including sedimentation, filtration, ozonation, and chlorination. High-pressure pipelines and sensor-based real-time monitoring track quality across the network. Nearly 80–85 per cent of households have water meters to manage usage and reduce wastage. The programme also integrates community participation, with trained ‘Jal Sathi’ women assisting in field inspections and continuous testing, ensuring accountability at the grassroots level.

Global Lessons from the US and Europe

The United States and Europe solved urban water safety crises over a century ago through sustained public investment and strict regulation. American cities introduced filtration and chlorination in the early 1900s after deadly cholera and typhoid outbreaks, while Europe built municipal water and sewer systems in the 19th century following public health disasters like London’s “Great Stink”. Strong laws, infrastructure separation between sewage and drinking water, and enforcement ensured tap water safety, making household-level fixes unnecessary.

Imporatnt Facts for Exams

• Puri is India’s first city with 24×7 drinkable tap water supply.
• ‘Sujal — Drink From Tap Mission’ was launched by Odisha in 2021.
• AMRUT focuses on urban water supply and sanitation infrastructure.
• BIS sets national standards for drinking water quality.

Why Home Water Purifiers Signal System Failure

India’s pride in rising home water purifier usage reflects what economist Frédéric Bastiat called the “broken window” fallacy. Spending on purifiers compensates for unsafe public water rather than creating new value. Reports by NITI Aayog link booming purifier sales to underinvestment in public water systems. In functioning economies, safe tap water is a public guarantee. Puri’s example shows that true progress lies in fixing systems at source, not shifting the burden to households.