Urban News

  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size
Water Supply

Water scheme for Attappady proposed

Monday, 21 October 2013 05:12 administrator
Print PDF

The Hindu             21.10.2013

Water scheme for Attappady proposed

Staff Reporter

Rs.40-crore KWA project will cover six villages

: The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has submitted to the State government a proposal for a Rs.40-crore comprehensive drinking water supply scheme for the Attappady Hills, which has been identified as a critically water stress hotspot.

The special package for Attappady announced in June by Union Minister for Rural Affairs Jairam Ramesh in the wake of the death of 35 tribal infants since January owing to malnutrition included a comprehensive water supply scheme. The acute shortage of potable drinking water was found to be one of the major health hazards faced by the tribespeople of Attappady Hills.

The scheme envisages supply of safe water to 48 habitations in six villages in three grama panchayats — Agali, Pudur and Sholayur. The project report said the scheme would cover 88 tribal settlements out of the total 184 with piped water supply.

The remaining isolated tribal settlements would be supplied potable water in tanker tractors during the summer season when the natural sources fail, it said.

The necessity of a comprehensive water supply scheme for Agali and its adjoining panchayats is evident from the perennial drinking water crisis in the area in spite of efforts taken by AHADS, KRWSA, and three-tier local self-governments in water supply during the past 10 years.

A comprehensive scheme with a long-term management plan was prepared for a design period of 30 years with 2014 as base year to cater to the population of 1,15,942 in the year 2044 based on design parameter of 70 lpcd.

The proposal is to utilise the rich surface source of the perennial Bhavani river, which drains the scheme area midway through the geographic boundaries of Agali and Pudur grama panchayats.

To ensure adequate summer storage, an overflowing weir is proposed in the project report

A 10-MLD water treatment plant and 12-LL master service reservoir are also proposed at Kavundickal in Agali from where treated water reaches the existing eight service reservoirs located in the three grama panchayats.

At present, the scheme area has 235 km of distribution network with 749 public hydrants and 5,267 water service connections, it said. As superior quality surface water is readily available untapped in Bhavani river, the project with this surface source is the solution to the prevailing drinking water crisis in Attappady block, the report said.

 

24x7 water supply for entire state by 2014-end

Tuesday, 15 October 2013 11:44 administrator
Print PDF

The Times of India          15.10.2013

24x7 water supply for entire state by 2014-end

PANAJI: With an emphasis on reducing water wastage and increasing water production in the state, the PWD is optimistic of providing 24X7 water supply to the entire state by the end of 2014.

The department also plans to spend around Rs 100crore to replace the existing pipeline. PWD minister Ramkrishna 'Sudin' Dhavalikar and officials on Saturday held a meeting at the Secretariat in Porvorim on how to reduce non-revenue water. Speaking to mediapersons, Dhavalikar said that the government is trying to provide 100litres per person in rural areas and 150litres per person in urban areas within the next two years.

The PWD is spending 800 crore under the JICA project to establish a water treatment plant at Selaulim in Sanguem with a capacity of 100 million litres per day (MLD). The project is likely to be completed by the end of 2014. PWD is also laying a separate 1,400mm pipeline from Sanguem to Vasco to supply water from the new plant at Sanguem. "After completion of the Selaulim project and new pipeline, the entire south Goa will get 24X7 water supply," he said. The PWD will also build a 10MLD plant at Moisal in Panchwadi and a 25MLD plant at Ganjem, Usgao, which would be commissioned in 2016.

At present, Goa manufactures around 550MLD of water and as of today, non-revenue water is above 35% and below 42%. As per norms, it should be below 20%. "If we try to bring it down to 20%, then with the additional water, it would be around 450MLD. Under the norm of 100litres per person in rural areas and 150litres in urban areas, we can provide 24X7 water supply to the entire state," Dhavalikar said. He said that in the next six months, PWD will focus on non-revenue reduction. For this, PWD will change the water pipeline, install a flow meter, replace the water meter and reduce apparent losses and real losses.

 

Water meter project likely to take off

Tuesday, 15 October 2013 11:33 administrator
Print PDF

The Times of India          15.10.2013

Water meter project likely to take off

PUNE: The city's much talked about 24x7 water supply and water meter scheme may see the light of the day finally, with its pilot project making some progress. After three unsuccessful attempts, the civic body has received response from five bidders for the tender it issued to undertake the project.

The civic administration had taken an important step in May this year towards making citizens accountable for every drop of water they consume and also to measure its loss through leakages. The civic body had planned a pilot project of metered supply of water in five areas - Sahakarnagar, Rajas Society in Katraj, Vimannagar, Bhavani Peth and Nagpur Chawl. Of these, the civic body had planned to install water meters in 1,200 households each in Sahakarnagar and Rajas Society in May. The scheme was not taking off as there was no response from bidders to the tenders the civic body issued.

"The water meter providers had not responded despite a couple of deadline extensions to submit bids for the tender notice. However, after making a couple of changes in the tender provisions some companies have come forward. The bids will be opened this week," said V G Kulkarni, head of PMC's water department, while speaking to TOI.

He said that five companies including a few international companies have come forward to supply meters. A key reservation of the companies was that the first order issued by PMC was very small and that it was not technically and commercially viable for companies to participate in the bid. So the order for meters was increased.

"The administration had first given orders to install meters in two areas. Nearly 2,400 meters were required for these two areas. But considering the demand of bidders, the administration took a decision to order meters for five areas. This has increased the number of meters required to 6,000. It helped in attracting bidders for the proposal," Kulkarni said.

The other problem that meter providers had was that of carrying out pipeline work and the project's maintenance. "The administration has made a provision to allow the providers to undertake the project jointly. The group that has expertise in maintenance will work jointly with companies that will provide the meters. The agency that will bag the contract will have to carry out maintenance for five years," Kulkarni added.

The pilot project is expected to be completed in a year's time. The first data of water usage, water pressure and water leakage will be available by the end of 2014. After that, the decision to install water meters in other parts of the city - or not - will be taken.

The Union government is pressing for metered water supply in all cities that receive funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) to ensure that the civic bodies recover the cost of the water supply.

A few years ago, the civic administration had tried to introduce metered water supply, claiming that it would help calculate the water tax accurately. However, the PMC general body scrapped the system for domestic users and has been billing them on the basis of the annual rateable value of their properties. The domestic users had complained of faulty meters and inflated billing which had resulted in accumulation of water tax dues worth crores of rupees.

Replying on the project's fate, if the problems in billing persist, Kulkarni said, "The meters that the PMC is planning to use are advanced and sophisticated. Tampering of these meters will not be possible. Thus the possibility of consumers getting incorrect or inflated bills will reduce considerably."

 
More Articles...


Page 48 of 414