Nazira Residents Face Drinking Water Crisis Weeks After Floods

NAZIRA, August 7, 2026 — Nearly three weeks after the devastating floods, residents of Nazira town in Assam's Sivasagar district continue to struggle with an acute drinking water shortage, with many households depending on roadside water sources to meet their daily needs.

According to residents, the crisis began after a key motor under the town's water supply scheme was damaged during the floods. The disruption has left large parts of the town without regular piped drinking water for almost 20 days.

Residents allege that despite repeated appeals, the damaged motor has not been repaired. They also claim that the limited water supplied through alternative arrangements is available for only a short period each morning, forcing people to queue with containers and compete for water.

The shortage has affected routine household activities, including cooking, drinking and sanitation. Many families say they have been left with no option but to collect water from roadside sources, raising concerns over water quality and public health.

The crisis has also exposed an apparent lack of coordination between the Nazira Municipal Board and the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED).

Municipal officials have reportedly attributed the problem to the PHED, while PHED officials maintain that the town's water supply scheme has been under the control of the municipal board since 2008 and that its operation and maintenance are the responsibility of the civic body.

Residents say they have been caught in the middle of the dispute, with neither agency restoring normal water supply.

Some locals have also questioned the municipality's spending priorities, alleging that funds have been allocated for beautification works while the town continues to face a prolonged shortage of safe drinking water.

The crisis has renewed calls for immediate repair of the damaged infrastructure and a long-term upgrade of Nazira's ageing water supply system to ensure reliable access to safe drinking water, particularly during and after natural disasters.