Civic alert: Pipeline burst may lead to water shortages
The pipeline, which was carrying 39 million gallons, burst after a sudden power breakdown at the pumping station.
KARACHI:
The supply of water to some parts of the city was disrupted on Sunday after a 72-inch diameter pipeline ruptured near the main pumping station of Dhabeji, the water board said.
The pipeline, which was carrying 39 million gallons, burst after a sudden power breakdown at the pumping station. “We have to continuously pump the water up several feet,” said Iftikhar Ahmed, who is the chief engineer for the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board’s (KW&B) bulk supply system. “It was bound to blow up when the power supply broke down and water flows in the reverse direction with high pressure.”
This was one of the 10 pipelines, which run along the National Highway and bring water from the Indus River. “It will take us three days and approximately Rs2.5 million to replace the damaged part.”
The broken pipeline was one of the only two concrete pipelines that are seen as old in design, Ahmed said. “We live in Pakistan and design systems inspired by America’s infrastructure which does not face the problem of incessant power cuts. The concrete can’t withstand high pressure. Nevertheless, we will replace it with a steel pipe now.”
The supply to the city was managed from other pipelines in the meantime. Karachi receives 650 million gallons per day from Hub Dam and the river.
Ahmed said power cuts to the pumping stations must not keep happening. “Under the relevant regulations, pumping stations are exempted from power cuts. I don’t know why this continues to happen.”
However, KW&SB owes the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) billions of rupees . KESC has decided to penalise its ‘bad’ customers by putting them on the rolling blackout schedule.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 30th, 2012.
The supply of water to some parts of the city was disrupted on Sunday after a 72-inch diameter pipeline ruptured near the main pumping station of Dhabeji, the water board said.
The pipeline, which was carrying 39 million gallons, burst after a sudden power breakdown at the pumping station. “We have to continuously pump the water up several feet,” said Iftikhar Ahmed, who is the chief engineer for the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board’s (KW&B) bulk supply system. “It was bound to blow up when the power supply broke down and water flows in the reverse direction with high pressure.”
This was one of the 10 pipelines, which run along the National Highway and bring water from the Indus River. “It will take us three days and approximately Rs2.5 million to replace the damaged part.”
The broken pipeline was one of the only two concrete pipelines that are seen as old in design, Ahmed said. “We live in Pakistan and design systems inspired by America’s infrastructure which does not face the problem of incessant power cuts. The concrete can’t withstand high pressure. Nevertheless, we will replace it with a steel pipe now.”
The supply to the city was managed from other pipelines in the meantime. Karachi receives 650 million gallons per day from Hub Dam and the river.
Ahmed said power cuts to the pumping stations must not keep happening. “Under the relevant regulations, pumping stations are exempted from power cuts. I don’t know why this continues to happen.”
However, KW&SB owes the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) billions of rupees . KESC has decided to penalise its ‘bad’ customers by putting them on the rolling blackout schedule.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 30th, 2012.