Snag snaps Kajauli water supply

Rajinder Nagarkoti/ Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 23

The Kajauli Waterworks stopped functioning after it developed a snag today, affecting the supply of water in the tricity — Chandigarh, Mohali and parts of Panchkula. Since the authorities are yet to repair the machines, water supply in the tricity will be affected tomorrow morning and evening.

In Chandigarh, water supply will be at low pressure tomorrow in the morning and evening, In Mohali, there will be no water supply in the afternoon tomorrow, but there will be low pressure water supply in the morning and evening.

The delivery header of the Kajauli Waterworks, Phase I and II, maintained by the Punjab Water Supply and Sanitation Division, burst at around 5 am today. The water flooded the two pump houses, which have machineries of Phase I, II, III and IV.

As a result, all eight motors in both the pump houses stopped functioning. With this, all the motors, panels and other machines installed there got submerged in water. To pump out the water, fire tenders from Ropar and Chandigarh were pressed into service.

“The development took place following a power failure early this morning. There was backflow of water in the pipeline to Chandigarh, which filled the pit, in which the motors were installed,” said HPS Dhillon, Executive Engineer, Punjab Water Supply and Sanitation Department.

Chandigarh MC Chief Engineer NP Sharma said his team of officers, including XEN Harish Saini, SDO Jaidev Sharma and JE Nirmal Sharma, were there at the Kajauli Waterworks since 5 am. As per report submitted by the officers, the water was pumped out by late in the evening. The Chief Engineer said the motors had been dismantled and sent to different agencies by the MC and the Punjab Water Supply Department, to Chandigarh and Panchkula for repair. Transformers were also sent for repair. Three motors will be made operational by tonight and the rest will be made functional by tomorrow evening, he said.  He said tomorrow morning and evening, water supply would be at low pressure. If no major repairs are undertaken, then the water supply in the evening will be normal tomorrow, he said.

No evening supply in many sectors 

There was no evening water supply in parts of many sectors. Those who were residing on top floors complained of no water supply. Janki, a resident of Sector 45-D, said there was no evening supply on Saturday. Even those residing on the ground floor complained of low pressure supply. 

37 water tankers pressed into service

As there was water crisis in the city, the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation on Saturday evening pressed 37 water tankers, including 20 private ones, into service. The MC staff was sending these tankers to the area from where they got the complaint of no water supply. 

City to get 25 MGD water today 

If the authorities manage to repair the three motors, as claimed by the MC, then the city will get a total of 30 MGD water. Out of 30 MGD, 5 MGD will be given to Mohali. There are four phases of Kajauli and each phase has two motors. Every motor supplies 10 MGD water to Sector 39 waterworks. 

A re-run of the 2013 crisis

The city remained ‘waterless’ for 15 days following a leakage in the Phase III and IV pipelines of the Kajauli Waterworks in 2013. The MC had started providing water to residents with the help of tankers, but that too failed to tide over the problem. 

Mayor holds late night emergency meeting

Mayor Arun Sood held an emergency meeting with MC Chief Engineer NP Sharma and other officials at the MC building, Sector 17, on Saturday night. The Mayor said they would request the DC to arrange for private water tankers for the disposal of the MC for managing water crisis. Besides, he would meet the Punjab CM over the maintenance work of Kajauli water supply lines. At present, the MC only manages Phase III line, whereas three phases are maintained by Punjab. Besides, directions were also issued to run tubewells round the clock in the city to manage water crisis, the  Mayor said.