The Hindu   08.08.2012

Water network to come under automated control

The entire drinking water supply distribution network in
the city would soon come under an automated control and monitoring
system soon as the Corporation has decided to go in for a Supervisory
Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system.

According
to Corporation sources, both the new Rs.221.42 crore drinking water
supply augmentation scheme, currently under execution, and the existing
water schemes catering to the city would be brought under the system.

Though
the Corporation had previously proposed for SCADA system to be operated
through VSAT, it has now decided to go in for a GPRS-based system,
which involves lower capital investment and maintenance expenditure. The
Corporation has taken technical assistance from the National Institute
of Technology and Anna University to implement the project.

Through
the system, the Corporation would be able to monitor and control the
entire water works, distribution system consisting of pumping stations,
control devices like valves and various other flow pressure monitoring
and regulating facilities. Besides, the Corporation would be able to
regulate the system to ensure equitable supply to all parts of the city,
a Corporation engineer said. Control rooms would also be established in
various parts of the city to monitor and control the distribution
network. The project is expected to the commissioned over the next one
year, sources said.

Meanwhile, the Corporation has
completed works on connecting the pumping mains of the new drinking
water supply augmentation scheme to provide supply to the Woraiyur area
from the scheme’s collector wells at Coleroon River. About 11 overhead
water tanks in the Woraiyur area including those at Puthur, Fathima
Nagar, Thyagaraja Nagar, Mangalam Nagar and SBI Colony would be fed
through the new pumping lines. The areas are currently fed by the
Corporation Main Pumping Station and Collector Well on the Cauvery river
bed.

On Sunday, the civic body carried out the work
on connecting the pumping mains across the Karur highway near
Kudamuritti. The Corporation is expected to start pumping about 10
million litres a day to the area from the new scheme over the next 10 to
15 days, sources said.

• The GPRS-based system involves lower capital investment and maintenance expenditure
• Civic body has taken technical assistance from NIT and Anna University for implementing project