Page 85 - HUDCO-BPA21

The possibilities of using the stored water left stagnant in treatment. 30 ML of water was drawn daily from
the quarries were explored. The quantity and quality of quarries. Result achieved are as follows:-
the available Water in stone quarries were carried out and Ÿ Augmentation of storage capacity of the city by at
54 parameters were tested for compliance with IS-10500- least 1000 mcft.
1991 standards. Detailed bathymetric and topographic Ÿ Availability of water supply to the city. Around 5000
studies were undertaken for quantity availability and Million litres of water could easily be tapped in a year
designing the engineering system. Based on this, a for city water supply.
solution for the drinking water supply for Chennai city
Ÿ New reservoirs with nil socio- economic and
was proposed and successfully implemented with public environmental costs.
acceptance. The proposal was designed, engineered,
Ÿ During water shortages, they serve as an effective
completed and commissioned in 45 days.
backup option. During 2019, around 30 MLD was
drawn for more than 6 months which was around 6%
of the total water supplied daily, the quarries get filled
up by the rainwater and excess flows from surface
runoffs.
Ÿ Water recycling offers resource and financial savings.
It is a revenue generating activity as the entire product
water is sold to industries.
Ÿ Improvement in the availability of water for city
supply by 90 MLD due to swapping of present
Conversion of quarries into the water reservoir freshwater sources for industries with recycled
wastewater.
Ÿ Uninterrupted supply of water to the industries,
thereby facilitating industrial growth and
employment.

SUSTAINABILITY:

Chennai is in a state of supply-demand mismatch and
water is drawn from multiple sources – surface water
reservoirs, well fields, desalination, wastewater reuse and
inter basin water transfer. Most of these options are
expensive and have their associated socio-economic and
environmental impacts. In the case of quarries, water
stored in the abandoned quarries which were hitherto
unutilised has been used for water supply. It is a cost-
effective and most environmental friendly intervention
with nearly nil cost for establishing compared to all other
Transportation of water from Jolarpet to Chennai through rail expensive options. The water is drawn from the quarries
and is transmitted to the nearest Chembarambakkam
RESULT ACHIEVED:
Water Treatment plant which is 3 km away for
CMWSSB is the pioneer in using stagnant water in the conventional treatment. The treatment cost is only Rs.
abandoned quarries for drinking purposes after necessary 7.00 per Kilolitre. The only cost is the capital cost of

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