Tata Steel Foundation’s Safe Drinking Water Initiatives Benefit more than 20,000 Villagers

~ 13 Solar-powered drinking project brings succour to eight villages ~
~ Safe drinking water provided to 7 villages through pipelines ~
~ Water purifiers distributed to schools and institutions ~

Narendrapur: Guided by Sustainable Development Goal #6 of the United Nations, to ‘Ensure Availability and Sustainable Management of Water and Sanitation for All’, Tata Steel Foundation’s (TSF) commitment to ensuring clean and safe drinking water is reshaping lives in rural communities around the Tata Steel Meramandali plant at Narendrapur in Dhenkanal.


This includes the implementation of a solar-powered drinking water project at eleven peripheral villages under Kusupanga, Nuagaon, Sibapur and Nuahata Gram Panchayats. This unique sustainable drinking water project has been a boon for residents of these villages. Besides this, the distribution of 19 water purifiers to nearby schools in Odapada Block and seven to other public institutions have also been beneficial to the students and staff of the schools and other institutions.

A deep borewell with a submersible pump and a 500-metre pipeline connection in Kusupanga village has also been installed.

Expressing her happiness, Mami Palei of Brahmana Purunakote said: “Earlier, we used to walk around one kilometre to get water. Also, the village tube well was not functioning properly. This is a big help to the women of the village, as fetching water has been a primary responsibility in the village.”
Mamata Rout of Joragadia village said: “We used to face difficulty in getting drinking water during the peak summer season. After completion of the solar drinking water project, we are receiving ample amount of water at our doorstep. I am also happy that we are relieved from any electricity charge for our water. This is promoting clean and green energy.”

Additionally, 122 tube wells have been installed across nine nearby panchayats of Odapada, Banarpal and Hindol blocks, further expanding access to clean water sources. The annual maintenance for two reverse osmosis water processing plants with a capacity of 2,000 LPH each in Kharagprasad has also been completed.

To address the water scarcity in peak summer season, TSF provides drinking water through tankers to Joragadia, Khaliberana, Mangalpur, Kusupanga and Ganthigadia villages.
Apart from these initiatives, TSF also supplies drinking water through pipeline to seven adjacent villages of TSM plant throughout the year. All of these initiatives have provided safe drinking water to peripheral villages, benefiting a total population of around 20,000.

Anita Nayak, Sarpanch of Kusupanga panchayat, expressed her joy at the realisation of clean water access for her village, a transformation that has ended years of struggle for the community. Through these comprehensive initiatives, Tata Steel is not just addressing a necessity, but also fostering hope and progress.