Shillong: Public Health Engineering Minister Marcuise Marak on Wednesday inspected the testing of pumping systems at the Mawphlang dam, marking a major step toward commissioning the long-delayed Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme Phase-III (GSWSS-III) — a project pending for nearly 17 years since its sanctioning.
Approved in 2008, the scheme is intended to boost Shillong’s water supply.
With the Mawphlang pumps now operational on trial, the state expects to release an additional 8 million litres per day (MLD) to the city once full commissioning begins.
Marak said the successful test run represents a “significant step forward” in efforts to ease Shillong’s chronic water scarcity.
GSWSS-III, originally sanctioned at Rs. 193 crore and revised multiple times, has faced repeated setbacks due to land acquisition issues, forest clearance delays, COVID-19 disruptions and rising project costs.
The project involves drawing raw water from the Mawphlang dam, treating it at the existing plant and distributing it across Greater Shillong through new pumping and transmission systems.
According to 2025 Assembly data, Shillong requires around 55.8 MLD, while the PHE department supplies only 41.7 MLD—leaving a shortfall of about 14 MLD.
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Officials say Phase-III will help partially bridge this gap, with supply stabilisation expected over the coming weeks.
Shillong has long grappled with water shortages, compelling residents to rely on private tankers, springs and community-managed sources.
Successive governments have projected GSWSS-III as the key intervention to expand the city’s supply network.
Marak said the government is committed to ensuring that “the long-pending promise of improved water supply for Shillong becomes a reality at the earliest.”
