HYDERABAD: With water inflows starting to reach the Nagarjuna Sagar Project (NSP) from Srisailam reservoir (Krishna Basin), the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) began removing all 15 emergency pump motors and other equipment at Puttamgandi on Saturday morning. These pumps were used for supplying water to Hyderabad and surrounding areas.
The water level in NSP has risen to 508 feet from 503 feet the previous day, with more inflows expected in the coming days. To prevent submergence and potential damage to the equipment, the HMWSSB is dismantling the emergency pumping motors, transformers, panels, starters, overhead lines and bund across the canal and pipelines. The dismantling process is expected to be completed by Sunday evening or Monday morning. The equipment will be stored at the Kodandapur HMWSSB premises, Water Board officials told TNIE.
With the Srisailam reservoir experiencing substantial inflows of 2 lakh cusecs of water and nearing its full reservoir level, around 65,000 to 75,000 cusecs of water is being released into NSP.
Sources said that Puttamgandi is an offtake point for Krishna water, where 15 emergency pumping motors were installed at the emergency pumping station and commissioned on April 20, when the NSP water level dropped below 510 feet.
The reservoir supplies raw water to HMWSSB through the Alimineti Madhava Reddy Project (AMRP) pumping station. For this, the Water Board installed five 600 HP motors, five 300 HP motors, and five 175 HP pumps, along with a 33 kV substation, transformers, HT and LT panels, and a five-kilometre 33 kV line, all of which were commissioned to feed about 900 cusecs to the AMRP pumping house. This ensures an uninterrupted water supply to Hyderabad and surrounding villages and gram panchayats.
With forecasts predicting more rain in the Srisailam reservoir catchment later this week, officials expect further inflows into the NSP. It is also worth noting that emergency pump motors and other electrical equipment used for pumping water to Hyderabad from the Godavari (Sripada Yellampalli Reservoir) were removed as a precautionary measure in the second week of July.