Nearly five decades after Noida was planned as a modern satellite city, resident groups across the National Capital Region have escalated concerns over what they describe as a persistent failure to deliver safe, reliable drinking water. In a formal communication to the city’s development authority, resident welfare associations have warned that gaps in treatment infrastructure are forcing households to rely on private purification systems, raising questions about governance, equity and long-term water security.Â
The representation highlights a widening disconnect between urban growth and essential services in Noida and Greater Noida. Despite rapid real estate development and expanding commercial zones, residents say municipal supply often does not meet potable standards, leaving large populations dependent on reverse osmosis units or packaged water. Urban planners note that such dependence is typically a symptom of systemic underinvestment in treatment capacity rather than source scarcity alone. According to the residents’ body, judicial directions issued decades ago had already established treated drinking water as a non-negotiable civic obligation. Yet, the absence of adequate water treatment plants suggests that implementation has lagged behind policy intent. Infrastructure analysts argue that this delay carries economic costs: households bear recurring expenses for purification, while the city’s attractiveness as a liveable, investment-friendly destination is weakened.
A key concern raised is the environmental impact of decentralised purification. Reverse osmosis systems, now common in homes and apartments, can discard a majority of the water they process. Sustainability experts point out that this level of wastage is particularly problematic in water-stressed regions, where treated surface water and groundwater are both finite. Untreated reject water entering drains can also degrade local water bodies downstream, compounding ecological risks. From an urban management perspective, the issue reflects a broader challenge facing fast-growing cities: aligning trunk infrastructure with population growth. While Noida’s development authority has invested heavily in roads, commercial hubs and housing, residents argue that drinking water systems have not received comparable attention. Industry observers add that centralised treatment, if properly designed and maintained, is often more efficient and equitable than millions of individual household solutions.
As a corrective measure, resident groups have proposed smaller, decentralised treatment plants at existing reservoirs. Such systems, they argue, could ensure consistent potable supply while reducing wastage and pressure on households. Water sector specialists say this approach aligns with modern urban utility models, which combine central oversight with distributed treatment to improve resilience and operational efficiency. The appeal has also been shared with the state government, signalling that the issue may soon move beyond local administration. For Noida, the response will be closely watched. Ensuring universal access to safe drinking water is not only a public health imperative but also a foundation for sustainable urban expansion. How quickly authorities translate planning capacity into on-ground delivery may determine whether the city can match its economic ambitions with basic civic trust.
Noida Residents Flag Drinking Water Gaps
