Jisha Surya
January 1, 2014
Thiruvananthapuram: Frequent bursts in pre-stressed concrete (PSC) pipe from Aruvikkara to Peroorkada have been disrupting water supply to capital city for over a decade. Supply shutdown for restoration works during bursts normally affects major areas in the city, including Medical College and Regional Cancer Centre. Had the Kerala water authority (KWA) considered the proposal of Devamani commission, which probed frequent pipe bursts in Kummi in 1997, the situation could have been averted.
The Devamani commission in 1997 had recommended an intermediate booster station at Vazhayila to ensure undisrupted supply of water in case of a shutdown. The commission proposed a ground level reservoir with inlet from three main pipelines from Aruvikkara such as the 1931-laid 33 inch cast iron pipe, 1972-laid 48 inch cast iron pipe and 1995-laid PSC pipe. It proposed that the booster can receive water from any main and feed any main. The effect will be that instead of shutting down one out of the three mains, it will involve shut down of one out of six mains. The commission also asked KWA to work out preliminary engineering proposals and cost.
The Devamani commission was formed to probe a series of pipe bursts in Kummi in 1997 and collapse of shutter of Aruvikkara dam in 1996. In addition to finding the reason for bursts, the commission was also asked to report short-term and long-term measures to be taken to prevent such breakdowns in future. The commission proposed setting up of intermediate booster at Vazhayila as a long-term measure to ensure undisrupted water supply. It proposed Vazhayila as a technically feasible site.
However, KWA chief engineer Jacob Chacko said that there was no need for an intermediate booster station now as the KWA’s project to replace old pipeline will be completed soon. “Pipe burst is reported in the PSC pipeline as it is 15 years old. Now that KWA will replace the line with mild steel pipes within two months, there is no need for a booster station,” he said.
KWA technical member T C Subran said that inclusion of an intermediate booster station involves huge maintenance cost. “If we include an intermediate booster station in between, a lot of money has to be spent for electricity and buying pumps and related equipment and maintaining them,” he said.
Meanwhile, another official of KWA said that suggestions of Devamani commission were never discussed in the department.
January 1, 2014
Thiruvananthapuram: Frequent bursts in pre-stressed concrete (PSC) pipe from Aruvikkara to Peroorkada have been disrupting water supply to capital city for over a decade. Supply shutdown for restoration works during bursts normally affects major areas in the city, including Medical College and Regional Cancer Centre. Had the Kerala water authority (KWA) considered the proposal of Devamani commission, which probed frequent pipe bursts in Kummi in 1997, the situation could have been averted.
The Devamani commission in 1997 had recommended an intermediate booster station at Vazhayila to ensure undisrupted supply of water in case of a shutdown. The commission proposed a ground level reservoir with inlet from three main pipelines from Aruvikkara such as the 1931-laid 33 inch cast iron pipe, 1972-laid 48 inch cast iron pipe and 1995-laid PSC pipe. It proposed that the booster can receive water from any main and feed any main. The effect will be that instead of shutting down one out of the three mains, it will involve shut down of one out of six mains. The commission also asked KWA to work out preliminary engineering proposals and cost.
The Devamani commission was formed to probe a series of pipe bursts in Kummi in 1997 and collapse of shutter of Aruvikkara dam in 1996. In addition to finding the reason for bursts, the commission was also asked to report short-term and long-term measures to be taken to prevent such breakdowns in future. The commission proposed setting up of intermediate booster at Vazhayila as a long-term measure to ensure undisrupted water supply. It proposed Vazhayila as a technically feasible site.
However, KWA chief engineer Jacob Chacko said that there was no need for an intermediate booster station now as the KWA’s project to replace old pipeline will be completed soon. “Pipe burst is reported in the PSC pipeline as it is 15 years old. Now that KWA will replace the line with mild steel pipes within two months, there is no need for a booster station,” he said.
KWA technical member T C Subran said that inclusion of an intermediate booster station involves huge maintenance cost. “If we include an intermediate booster station in between, a lot of money has to be spent for electricity and buying pumps and related equipment and maintaining them,” he said.
Meanwhile, another official of KWA said that suggestions of Devamani commission were never discussed in the department.
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