NMC can’t avert water crisis due to infra flaw

Nagpur: North, east and some parts of south Nagpur — which cover around 35% of city’s area — are facing water crisis for over a month due to low supply from Kanhan water treatment plant (WTP). The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has water and also treatment capacity at Pench reservoirs from where water can be diverted to Kanhan WTP. But this cannot be done due to a major flaw in developing city’s water infrastructure.
For most of the days since over a month, the NMC has been able to supply only 140-150 million litres per day (MLD) water from Kanhan WTP whose total capacity is 240 MLD. This happened due to low storage in Kanhan river as the under-construction Kochchhi barrage has blocked the flow. This caused water shortage in east, north and some parts of south Nagpur which get water supply from Kanhan WTP.

Remaining 65% areas — west, south-west, central and majority parts of south Nagpur — get water supply from Pench-I, II, III and IV WTPs. As against total capacity of 555 MLD, Pench WTPs were supplying only 455 MLD water due to less demand in areas covered under these WTPs. The NMC could have diverted 100 MLD from Pench WTPs to areas under Kanhan WTP. But the NMC remained helpless. The NMC has never planned diversion of water from Pench WTPs to areas under Kanhan WTP and vice versa.

NMC sources told TOI it requires only a water pipeline connecting main water line of Pench WTPs with that of Kanhan WTPs but was never planned. “NMC is spending over Rs900 crore on various works, including 24X7 water supply project for improving water infrastructure, but did not plan the pipeline connecting main lines of Pench WTPs and Kanhan WTP,” sources said.

The same problem will be faced by areas under Pench WTPs whenever there is water scarcity in Pench reservoirs. Water from Kanhan WTP cannot be diverted to areas under Pench WTPs.

Though an NMC official accepted main lines of Pench WTPs and Kanhan WTP need to be connected, they said it will require a detailed technical study and works. “We will have to check water pressure and other technical aspects. We will discuss this issue in the coming days,” he said.

Of the total 68 command areas, three areas in north Nagpur — Nari, Nara and Jaripatka — have been very lucky in this regard. Earlier, these areas were under Kanhan WTP. Four years ago, these areas were brought under Pench WTPs. Therefore, these areas can get water from Pench WTPs and Kanhan WTP.

NO PIPELINE

*NMC gets water from Pench reservoirs and Kanhan river

*Water from Pench reservoirs are supplied from four WTPs and water from Kanhan river from one WTP

*Water from Pench WTPs is supplied to 65% areas — west, south-west, central and majority parts of South Nagpur

Kanhan WTP caters to east, north and some parts of south Nagpur

*Water from Pench WTPs cannot be diverted to areas under Kanhan WTP and vice versa

*NMC never planned to inter-link main line of Pench WTPs and Kanhan WTP