Bhopal Master Plan 2047: City’s Water Capacity May Run Out By 2035, Experts Warn Of 498 MLD Deficit

Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, may soon face a severe water shortage, according to the proposed Master Plan 2047. Experts warn that the city's water infrastructure could struggle to meet the projected demand, with a potential deficit of up to 498 million litres per day (MLD) by 2047. This is due to an expected population growth of around 44.25 lakh, coupled with increased commercial and industrial activities that could strain the existing water supply capacity, which is currently estimated at 466-475 MLD.

The draft Master Plan anticipates a population growth rate of 2.56% annually, leading to a projected residential water demand of around 675 MLD based on a requirement of 150 litres per capita per day (LPCD). This demand estimate does not account for additional needs from commercial and industrial establishments. The current per-capita supply is projected to decrease from around 135 LPCD to between 80-97 LPCD, creating a significant gap between available water supply and future demand.

Experts, such as Prof Jagdish Singh of MANIT, Bhopal, stress that leakage control, wastewater reuse, groundwater recharge, and the revival of traditional water sources, like step wells, can help address this crisis. Implementing these measures could potentially bridge approximately 70% of the projected 395 MLD water deficit, given they are coupled with infrastructure expansion.

However, without these interventions, per-capita water availability could fall to just 80-97 LPCD by 2047, which is insufficient to meet the estimated requirement.