Supply of treated surface water: KMC to construct capsule booster pumping stations in two wards

Kolkata: In a bid to phase out the use of groundwater and substitute it with treated surface water, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will be constructing semi-underground reservoirs (SUGR) cum capsule Booster Pumping Stations (BPS) at two of the wards under the civic body in South Kolkata.

The civic body is learnt to have approved two big projects that aim at the supply of surface water in two wards of the KMC. Mayor Firhad Hakim has assured that KMC will phase out tube wells and replace them with surface water. His message comes in the wake of the depleting levels of groundwater in the city.

Sources in the KMC water supply department said that a proposal has been approved for constructing one Semi-Underground Reservoir (SUGR) cum capsule booster pumping station in ward 98 at Subhaspally.

It is learnt that ward 98 is served partly through Ranikuthi BPS and big-diameter tube wells. Now, the KMC wants to “replenish groundwater served through big diameter tube wells by means of treated surface water”. Further, it is learnt there are crisis pockets where the supply of filter water is required to be augmented so that the end users, especially at the tail ends can have a normal filtered water supply.

A thorough survey was carried out and it was observed that one capsule booster pumping station with SUGR is required to be constructed for groundwater substitution as well as improvement of supply in the crisis pockets.

It was found space is available at Subhaspally Shishu Udyan for the construction of one approximately 0.3MG capacity SUGR cum capsule BPS. The cost for the construction of the facility is around Rs 3.19 crore. The fund will be provided from a government grant, it is learnt.

Meanwhile, for a similar purpose, KMC has also decided to set up a SUGR cum capsule BPS in ward 93 inside a KMC park situated beside Katjunagar Road. This facility will also be of 0.3 MG capacity. It is learnt that at present, a portion of ward 93 is being served through Garden Reach Water Works (GRWW) direct supply, overhead works supply and through capsule booster pumping station installed near Bangur Park. However, some portion of the ward is being supplied through groundwater sources by means of the operation of big-diameter tubewell.

It is learnt that the estimated cost of the project is somewhere between Rs. five to six crores approximately.

In this case, too, the project cost will be covered by a government grant.