The Karnataka government has launched a statewide repair and restoration drive to revive more than 3,300 non-functional water purification units installed across rural areas, in an effort to strengthen safe drinking water access ahead of the peak summer season.
Officials from the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) department said that out of 19,638 Reverse Osmosis (RO) and water purification units installed across the state, around 3,380 units are currently not operational, highlighting a significant gap in rural water infrastructure maintenance.
Focus on Rural Drinking Water Supply
The initiative aims to restore defunct purification systems that are widely used in villages to provide safe drinking water. The drive will prioritize regions facing acute drinking water stress, especially during summer months when groundwater quality deteriorates.
District-level assessments show that several northern districts, including Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Koppal, Gadag, and Vijayapura, account for a large share of non-functional units. In contrast, districts such as Shivamogga, Hassan, Udupi, and Bengaluru Rural have reported relatively better operational status.
Reasons Behind Breakdown
Officials have identified multiple factors contributing to the large number of defunct units, including:
- Inadequate maintenance and delayed repair cycles
- Low usage and reduced demand in certain villages
- Dependence on alternative water sources like borewells
- Theft, vandalism, and infrastructure damage
- Financial challenges in sustaining operations
Many gram panchayats responsible for upkeep have also reported funding constraints, leading to prolonged downtime of several units.
Maintenance Cost Concerns
Each water purification unit reportedly requires an average annual maintenance cost of around ₹1.5 lakh, covering electricity consumption, filter replacement, and servicing. However, in many rural locations, limited revenue generation has made it difficult to ensure long-term sustainability.
Officials have also pointed to mismatches between funding allocation and the actual number of non-functional units in some districts, raising concerns over efficiency in implementation.
Government Action Plan
The RDPR department has directed district administrations and local bodies to conduct urgent inspections and phased repair works, with priority given to areas facing severe drinking water shortages.
Authorities have also been instructed to explore long-term solutions, including improved maintenance contracts, better monitoring systems, and possible relocation of unused units to high-demand regions.
Objective of the Drive
The repair initiative is part of the state’s broader effort to ensure safe and reliable drinking water supply in rural Karnataka, particularly in regions affected by groundwater contamination and seasonal scarcity.
Officials said the program aims not only to restore existing infrastructure but also to improve the sustainability of rural water purification systems in the long run.
