After decades of water scarcity in Meghalaya’s capital, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma told the Assembly on Tuesday that a long-awaited Rs 700-crore water supply project for Shillong has reached an “advanced stage of implementation.”
Once completed, the scheme is expected to bring relief to thousands of households who have long struggled with erratic and inadequate supply.
The project is part of the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme (GSWSS), whose Phase-III is targeted for completion by March next year.
According to Public Health Engineering Minister Marcuise N. Marak, the system will substantially reduce the current supply gap that has left residents dependent on private tankers and community-managed springs.
At present, Shillong and the surrounding areas require 5.58 crore litres of water daily but receive only 4.17 crore litres—a deficit of 1.40 crore litres.
Localities such as Mawlai highlight the crisis starkly: demand there stands at 92.5 lakh litres, while supply meets just 64.7 lakh litres, leaving a shortfall of nearly 28 lakh litres every day.
To supplement the flagship project, the government has also lined up the Wahrynthem water supply scheme, which will draw 33 million litres per day from the Umngot river at Dawki. Sangma said the combined efforts are aimed at providing a sustainable supply to Shillong and adjoining areas, which have seen rapid urban growth outpace existing water infrastructure.
However, concerns about the sustainability of such mega-projects were raised in the House.
Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma cautioned that erratic rainfall, deforestation, and climate change could undermine the schemes in the long run.
Responding, the Chief Minister admitted that Meghalaya has faced a rainfall deficit of nearly 50 per cent this year but assured that contingency measures are in place.
“We are not only investing in infrastructure but also focusing on natural resource management, rejuvenation of springs, and catchment area protection,” Conrad Sangma said, adding that the Meghalaya Climate Council, created under the state’s pioneering water policy of 2019, is guiding the effort to secure and diversify water sources.
Meghalaya’s water policy was adopted to manage water as a shared community resource while promoting sustainable use.
Experts have often cited that while the state receives one of the highest average rainfalls in the world, poor storage, catchment degradation, and shifting rainfall patterns have led to seasonal shortages.
The government’s push comes as Shillong’s population growth, urban sprawl, and rising demand have made water one of the most pressing civic issues in the hill city.
With the GSWSS Phase-III nearing completion and additional projects in the pipeline, officials hope to finally narrow the decades-old demand-supply gap, though much will depend on whether long-term conservation efforts keep pace with infrastructure expansion.