Leak in drinking water pipe floods colony near Porur
CHENNAI: Members of a residential colony near Porur woke up on Saturday morning to an unusual scene. The entire area was under knee-deep water though there was no overnight rain.
A leak in a two-metre diameter underground pipeline from the Chembarambakkam water treatment plant to the city had flooded the colony, EVP Park Avenue, about 5km from the plant. Officials of Metrowater, said the exact quantity of water lost could not be accurately estimated as water was not being pumped in at maximum pressure through the pipe that was about 8km long. Normally, a pipe of this dimension can carry a maximum of 22,000 litres of water per second under full pressure. Residents demanded an investigation into the quality of pipeline that was laid four years ago, but an official said the problem appeared to be with the valve, not the pipeline.
The leak in the area occurred around 5.30am and water continued to pour in till 8am though water supply was stopped in less than hour. A local Metrowater official said that even if the supply was stopped within one hour, several lakh litres of water would have gone waste as the leak point was far from the treatment plant and a large quantity of water was flowing through the pipe. Pumping operations at the treatment plant have been suspended for three days and the supply to the rest of the city will not be affected, officials said.
"The flood destroyed concrete slabs above the underground pipeline after the valves burst," said businessman Suresh Babu, a resident of the colony. Soon, houses were inundated and many residents were moving out through knee-deep water. Others were battling to clean their vehicles that had got clogged with huge quantities of dirt and debris washed into the area by the flood. Power supply to the entire area was disconnected and is likely to resume after two days.
Officials said a massive clean-up operation using six high-power pumps was in full swing. "We are draining out the water to an open ground nearby," said one official.
A senior Metrowater official said water supply to other parts of the city would continue as normal. "The pipe was connecting a pumping station at Porur from where we supply water to different areas in South Chennai. Since we have been drawing a minimal quantity from Chembarambakkam, we are trying to manage the situation without any disruptions," he said.
Source - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Leak-in-drinking-water-pipe-floods-colony-near-Porur/articleshow/22408324.cms
A leak in a two-metre diameter underground pipeline from the Chembarambakkam water treatment plant to the city had flooded the colony, EVP Park Avenue, about 5km from the plant. Officials of Metrowater, said the exact quantity of water lost could not be accurately estimated as water was not being pumped in at maximum pressure through the pipe that was about 8km long. Normally, a pipe of this dimension can carry a maximum of 22,000 litres of water per second under full pressure. Residents demanded an investigation into the quality of pipeline that was laid four years ago, but an official said the problem appeared to be with the valve, not the pipeline.
The leak in the area occurred around 5.30am and water continued to pour in till 8am though water supply was stopped in less than hour. A local Metrowater official said that even if the supply was stopped within one hour, several lakh litres of water would have gone waste as the leak point was far from the treatment plant and a large quantity of water was flowing through the pipe. Pumping operations at the treatment plant have been suspended for three days and the supply to the rest of the city will not be affected, officials said.
"The flood destroyed concrete slabs above the underground pipeline after the valves burst," said businessman Suresh Babu, a resident of the colony. Soon, houses were inundated and many residents were moving out through knee-deep water. Others were battling to clean their vehicles that had got clogged with huge quantities of dirt and debris washed into the area by the flood. Power supply to the entire area was disconnected and is likely to resume after two days.
Officials said a massive clean-up operation using six high-power pumps was in full swing. "We are draining out the water to an open ground nearby," said one official.
A senior Metrowater official said water supply to other parts of the city would continue as normal. "The pipe was connecting a pumping station at Porur from where we supply water to different areas in South Chennai. Since we have been drawing a minimal quantity from Chembarambakkam, we are trying to manage the situation without any disruptions," he said.
Source - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Leak-in-drinking-water-pipe-floods-colony-near-Porur/articleshow/22408324.cms