Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board is a statutory body set up by the State Government for Development, Regulation and Control of the Drinking water sector and sewerage sector in the urban areas of Punjab. Prior to the formation of PWSSB such services were being performed by the Punjab, PWD, Public Health Deptt.. The jurisdiction of the PWSSB (Board) extends to the whole state (Urban Areas). The Board largely works for putting in place urban water supply system, sewerage schemes and STPs as well as operational management water supply schemes, sewerage scheme and STPs in various towns of punjab. In this area the main function of the Board is to prepare, execute, promote and finance the schemes for supply of water for drinking purposes and sewerage schemes for disposal of domestic sewerage.

DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE PUNJAB WATER SUPPLY & SEWERAGE BOARD

1. Investigating and surveying the requirements of water supply and sewerage schemes.
2. Planning and preparing schemes including schemes covering areas falling within the jurisdiction of more than one local authority for the purpose of providing the supply of drinking water or sewerage facilities;
3. Executing schemes under the phased programme for the provision of drinking water and sewerage facilities within the areas of local authorities to which such schemes relate;
4. Executing such drinking water supply or sewerage facilities schemes as may be transferred by the Government from the Department of Public Health to the Board;
5. Working out priorities with the approval of the government and drawing up a detailed programme of executing the schemes;
6. Laying down the norm of staff to be employed by a local authority for the maintenance of water supply and sewerage works which the local authority concerned shall notwithstanding anything contained in any other law, take into consideration while employing the additional staff necessitated by such works;
7. Any matter which is supplemental, incidental or consequential to any of the above functions;
8. Such other functions as may be prescribed.

The pwssb since its 41 years of its existence has executed many prestigious water supply and sewerage projects like World Bank aided Water supply & Sewerage Project, Urban Renewal Project for Water Supply and Sewerage services, HUDCO – aided Water Supply and Sewerage Projects, prevention of Pollution of river Satluj and West Bein, Accelerated Water Supply Project, to name a few.

At present, the Board is executing a number of projects for water supply and sewerage services in the urban areas and the main projects under execution are under JNNURM, Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium towns, PIDB aided Water Supply & Sewerage Schemes, setting up of Sewage Treatment Plants under River Action Plan, JICA – aided Sewerage Project of Amritsar and AMRUT.