Opa basin ‘critical’ as three pumps used for rejuvenating river fail

PONDA: The water level in the Opa river basin touched the critical 1.7m mark on Friday evening after three pumps at the Codli mining pit — from where water was being pumped in to rejuvenate the basin — failed. This posed an immediate problem for the Opa water treatment as reduced quantity of water had to be sourced from the basin, thus affect drinking water supply to Ponda and Tiswadi.
“As the water level has dipped to 1.7m, we pumped only 124 MLD water. This means only 112 MLD water was supplied to consumers instead of 140 MLD,” the official said.
The department is trying to arrange for two pumps, superintending engineer WRD Pramod Badami said. Such pumps are usually brought in from outside the state, but WRD is trying to arrange for them in Goa, he said.
If the basin level drops below 1.7m then water cannot be sourced from it for treatment.
Chief engineer water resources department (WRD) Sandip Nadkarni told TOI that three pumps installed at the Pandurang Timblo mining pit at Codli stopped — two brunt out — due to continuous use.
Seven pumps, however, continue to pump water from the pit.
Canal officer WRD Ankush Gaonkar said that the 90-100MLD water being sourced from the Codli mining pit dropped to 60-70MLD on Friday due to the breakdown.
Ever since the Opa basin touched the critical 1.7m mark a few weeks ago, the department has been attempting to raise the level by replenishing it with water sourced from the Codli mining pit, Ganjem river and Selaulim dam.
Executive engineer WRD Arun Naik said that the entire quantity of water poured into the river basin does not reach the treatment plant. “This is because of seepage and evaporation. Due to the scorching heat about 30% of the water evaporates,” Naik said.
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River pits dredged to release trapped water
As an additional means to raise the water level in the Opa river basin, WRD dredged the silt around pits within the river basin on Friday. Canal officer WRD Ankush Gaonkar said that this releases water trapped in the pits. “Inside a river basin or within a bandhara several pits develop due to the water current, which trap water. We have removed the silt around these pits freeing the flow,” Gaonkar said.