Pune Infra Watch: PMC proposes to provide 24X7 water supply system in Sus and Mahalunge
The Pune Municipal Corporation has decided to develop new water lines under equitable water distribution project in Sus and Mahalunge, the newly merged villages in PMC.
Commuters at the Sus - Pashan highway in Pune (Express File Photo by Pavan Khengre) In the wake of the severe water shortage in Sus and Mahalunge, which were newly merged with the city, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has proposed to provide a 24X7 water supply system for the equitable supply of water in the area.
“The PMC has decided to develop new water lines under equitable water distribution project in Sus and Mahalunge, the newly merged villages in PMC,” said a civic body officer.
A private agency would be appointed for designing and executing transmission and distribution systems, installation of flow meters and valves, and construction of clear water sump, he said.
The Sus and Mahalunge regions, adjoining Baner and Balewadi, have been facing water shortages after they registered rapid urbanisation. The residents have approached the Bombay High Court seeking direction to the PMC to ensure sufficient water supply to meet their demand. Earlier, the Baner-Balewadi residents had approached the high court on the same issue and it had directed the civic body not to give new building permission without ensuring water supply to residents.
The PMC has started implementing the 24X7 water supply project to ensure equitable water supply across the city while installing meters for every connection. However, it has faced criticism from the Union Government for its slow-paced work.
The project includes designing and constructing proposed clear water pumping stations and establishing transmission lines.
According to experts, one of the key elements to solve the problems affecting water distribution in Mahalunge and Sus, which fall under the low water pressure area in the network, is to set up District Metered Areas (DMA). The DMA is also required for achieving equitable water pressures and reduction of leakage.
A District Metered Area (DMA) is a sub-zone within a water distribution network that can be hydraulically isolated and for which water consumption is monitored using water meters. All the inlets and outlets are provided with bulk flow meters and all the user connections are fully metered.
The DMA size should ideally include between 1,000 and 5,000 connections and present moderate ground-level differences. As per the norms, the Mahalunge and Sus network should cover a total of 13 DMAs, said the civic body officer.
The installation of water meters would also include replacing the house connection from the distribution pipe up to the water meter for all consumers along with plugging of existing drills on the pipeline.
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