VADODARA, Nov 24: The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) is planning to replace cast iron pipes with ductile iron pipes for water supply to prevent leakages, while the State Government has asked to revise charges for industrial users.Municipal Commissioner G R Aloria told Express Newsline on Tuesday that due to leakages caused by corrosion in the porous cast iron pipes and theft, 15 per cent of the total consumption of around 238 million gallon water daily (mgd) was lost.Although ductile iron pipes are costlier than the cast iron pipes, in the longer run it would prove beneficial, he said and added that the carrying capacity of the cast iron pipes decreases after few years as the pipe swells.A presentation of the ductile irons pipes would be done shortly and if accepted, in the new areas cast iron pipelines would not be laid henceforth.Aloria further said the industrial and commercial users consumed six per cent of the day's total supply and added that the charges on them should be revised. However, it is up to the elected wing to take a final decision, he said. The information about the status of industrial users was provided at a meeting of three-member committee formed to work out a solution to revive the Panam Water Works Agreement. The agreement was cancelled earlier this year.
