A quarterly newsletter on water and sanitation in India Vol II Issue 1 In 2008–09, a multi-village scheme PHED Assam Goes High Tech: comprising two independent zones (Zone I & Zone II) was conceived by PHED Introduces SCADA Assam. The scheme was planned to cover 506 habitations with 1,40,769 people The introduction of SCADA, an innovative system to operate spread over 17 Gram Panchayats (GPs) the entire water supply system for the very first time in of Titabor Development Block in Jorhat district, well known for tea gardens and north-east India, in Jorhat district, has enhanced the efficient rice cultivation. The project cost was management of rural drinking water supply in the region around `9,81,858 crore for both the Zones. During the selection of suitable rapid assessment of water quality PHED considered surface and sustainable intake sources, separately for two zones, and design of such a large A status, followed by a three-tier sources as the most viable arsenic screening and surveillance pumping mains and pumping distribution in different districts, found that the and sustainable solution for a system (the length of the CW pumping Jorhat district of northern Assam large number of habitations main being 119.50 km in Zone I and was experiencing substantive arsenic rather than alternative 130.29 km in Zone II), the expertise of the Indian Institute of Technology contamination above the Bureau of groundwater sources Indian Standards (BIS) permissible (IIT), Guwahati, State Water Sources level of 50 parts per billion (ppb). The Department, was utilised. Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Assam, took serious note of the situation and plunged into action. To address the emerging challenge, PHED Contents considered surface sources as the most viable and sustainable solution for a large number of habitations rather than alternative groundwater sources. 9 INNOVatiON: ESCOs Show the Way SPOTLIGHT: Convergence of 16 Resources Accelerates Sustainable Development 22 CAMpaigN: Gangadevipalli: An Icon of Sustainable Development in Water and Sanitation CAMpaigN: Finding a Long-term 27 Jorhat district, northern Assam Solution for Arsenic Contamination 1 SCADA, an innovative system to control water pumps INNOVatiON leakage point in the network can How SCADA Works be easily detected for rectification. The auto control system in the Through the internet, one person can operate the entire constituent scheme to regulate the water supply system entry of water consists of a water level indicator within the reservoir, the Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) t is significant to mention that, at the river intakes and WTPs. Entry of panel, MOV, power inverter and Ifor the first time in the history treated water from the two underground connecting cables. The water level of the north-east, PHED, Assam, reservoirs of the two WTPs to the 100 indicator in the reservoir signals the introduced SCADA (Supervisory remote constituent schemes can be quantity of water in the reservoir to Control And Data Acquisition) controlled by motor operated valves the RTU panel and the automatic technology in Jorhat. Through the (MOVs) installed with the pumps of RTU panel commands the MOV internet, one authorised person each of the 100 reservoirs installed to close or open the pump as can operate the entire water supply therein. By inserting pressure meters required. The power inverter system (WSS) to control the pumps in the pumping networks, any fault or provides uninterrupted power to all circuits. The SCADA system can be operated from anywhere by installing the software on a desktop or laptop or smartphone with legal authorisation. An authorised trained person operates the system in WTP of Zone I and Zone II. In addition, the Superintending Engineer (SE), Jorhat Division, has the software installed on his laptop, with the help of which he can monitor the network in Zone I and Zone II and instruct the concerned person accordingly. Using SCADA technology in Jorhat 2 There were inevitable initial hurdles in the selection of intake, design, tendering process, selection of habitations, land acquisition, permission for road cutting, railway crossings, etc., which caused some delay in commencement of works in the field. Finally, the mega project with the first ever use of SCADA technology, could be completed within a record period of just 18 months since the commencement of work, another feather in the cap of PHED, Assam. The mega project with the first ever use of SCADA technology, was completed within a record period of just 18 months since the commencement of work, another feather in the cap of PHED, Assam Mega project using SCADA technology The scheme was inaugurated by The salient features of the two intake pipes are placed on the barge. Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam schemes in the two Zones are listed in Two suction pipes are dropped from Shri Tarun Gogoi on 28 May 2013, Table 1. a floating barge to river water and, on in the presence of Hon’ble Minister, the barge, two 200 millimetre (mm) PHED, Assam Shri Gautam Roy, Intake System (diameter) pipes converge into a single Hon’ble Minister, PWD-cum-UDD In Zone I, the intake system is placed host pipe of 300 mm diameter. The Smt. Ajanta Nag and Hon’ble on a floating barge, since water diameter of the MS suction pipes is members of Parliament and the advances and recedes in Doyang 250 mm.The capacity of each of the Legislative Assembly. River. Two pumps connected to two two raw water pumps is 40 horsepower Table 1: Salient Features of the Schemes Key Features Greater Titabor PWSS Zone I Greater Titabor PWSS Zone II Intake point At Doyang River near Ooting At Dhansiri River near Galahad town Intake system Floating barge Direct suction flow pump house Capacity 4.50 MLD 6.50 MLD No. of constituent PWSS (new) 32 35 No. of upgraded or renovated PWSS 17 16 No. of GPs 7 10 No. of habitations covered 256 251 Length of CW pumping main 110.50 km 130.29 km Revised AA amount `51.5494 crore `46.63 crore 3 (HP). To ensure continuous pumping of The basic purpose of aeration is to reduce the content raw water even during power failure/ of substances which cause unpleasant tastes and odours load shedding, a 100 kilo volt amps as well as discolouration. Aeration is frequently used (kVA) DG set has been installed. The length of the raw water pumping for treatment of groundwater where it also has additional main, i.e., distance of Zone I’s Water positive side effects, precipitation of iron and manganese. Treatment Plant (WTP) from the river When treating surface water, aeration is useful in adding intake is 850 m. Near the river intake, oxygen to the raw water. Aeration always precedes some close to the DG set, a signal receiving other treatment process antennae has been installed for remote controlled operations through SCADA. The MOV is attached with each of the two pumps to enable starting and in the pump house to facilitate shifting 4.80 in the WTP of Zone I and 5.26 in closing of pumping of raw water from of the heavy pumps mechanically Zone II. The inner diameter (in metres) the river, as well as the operation of from ground level. A 100 kVA power is 4.60 and 5.10 in Zone I and Zone II, vacuum pumps to suck out air from the generator has also been installed for respectively.The height (in metres) of pipe before suction of raw water. effective power transmission to the two this component, above ground level, In Zone II, two parallel suction heavy duty pumps. A pressure gauge is 5.10 in both Zones. The cascade pipes of 300 mm are inserted directly has also been placed at the intake point aerator is designed to entrap oxygen into the water from the banks of the to assess pressure of drawl of raw water for enhancing quantum dissolved Dhansiri River. In the nearby pump through the SCADA system. Two oxygen (DO) in raw water being house installed on the bank near the persons have been deployed to ensure supplied from the intake. river water, two pumps of 75 HP draw water supply at a monthly payment of The basic purpose of aeration is water from the river. With a view to `10,000 each by PHED. The length of to reduce the content of substances ensure continuous pumping during raw water pumping main is 4,850 m in which cause unpleasant tastes and non-availability of power, a 180 kVA Zone II. odours as well as discolouration. DG set has been installed. As in Zone Aeration is frequently used for I, in Zone II, too, the MOV is attached Water Treatment Plants treatment of groundwater where it with both pumps to enable remote Both Zones use a similar process for also has additional positive side effects control operation of the pumps with treatment of raw water: (precipitation of iron and manganese). the help of SCADA. A signal receiver Aerator: The raw water is pumped When treating surface water, aeration has been installed at the intake site to from the intake and supplied to the is useful in adding oxygen to the raw receive signal from the SCADA system. WTP in the aerator fountain. The outer water. Aeration always precedes some A gravity crane has also been installed diameter (in metres) of the aerator is other treatment process. Using aeration for the treatment of groundwater 4 Lime-Alum Mixer: The water coming out of the channel is mixed with alum and lime in the lime-alum mixer and water mixed with chemicals is poured through a channel to the flash mixer.