BENGALURU: In preparation for the major step to be taken by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) after 44 years to ensure the safety of its pipelines, top BWSSB officials spent this Sunday inspecting the pumping stations of Torekadanahalli, Harohalli and Tataguni. The safety and reliability of the pipelines are set to be protected by installation of equipment which are set to perform the role of shock absorbers.
The Board has already announced water shutdown for many parts of the city when this eight-hour operation is to be executed by city-based Sridhan Instrumentation and Electronics International Limited for BWSSB on Tuesday.
The entire project, estimated to cost about `8 crore, will be executed in phases whenever water shutdowns can be effected. Mammoth pipelines that range between 1200 mm diameter to 1750 mm diameter are laid for a distance of 86 kms to supply Cauvery water to the city from T K Halli.
Chief Engineer (Cauvery) P N Ravindra told The New Indian Express, “This is a major step undertaken today with the whole pipeline protection system (Surge System) being replaced. The reliability and safety of pipelines would be made 100% now. At present, we have five pipelines constantly functioning.The shutdown of three pipelines will be undertaken on Tuesday”.
Elaborating on the technical aspects, Ravindra said that the compressors inside compressor rooms as well as sensors are being changed for Cauvery Water Supply Scheme Stage I (1974) and Stage II (1982) projects. In addition to it, new rubber bladders (which resemble footballs) are being incorporated inside air vessels located near the pumping stations of the Cauvery IIIrd stage pipelines.
The bladders will play a crucial role in ensuring that surging water, which flows back whenever there is a power shutdown, does not damage the pipelines as it happens now, explained Executive Engineer of Cauvery Head Works, T K Halli. “Whenever the air pressure inside goes down, the bladders would automatically adjust the pressure and ensure the flow of water through the pipes is steady,” he added.