Mettur-Salem water scheme: Phase-II nearing completion.

With the construction of 22 water tanks in the city getting over, water supply through the Phase-II of the Rs. 132.12 crore Mettur – Salem Dedicated Water Scheme is expected to commence in a month.

The Rs. 188.42 crore Phase-I was completed. Now 102 mld (million litres a day) of water was being supplied to residents in 60 Wards.

The Phase-II includes construction of 22 tanks at a cost of Rs. 28.71 crore, laying of distribution network for 165.99 km in the city, and laying of feeder mainline for 78 km from the city’s entry point to all the tanks.

Work began in 2013 and is expected to be completed by second week of February.

Officials said that construction of all the tanks were over and water was pumped to 15 tanks, while hydro test was being conducted in another five tanks. Pipeline works to two tanks were expected to be completed in a week.

They said that all works would be completed this month itself.

Water supply through these seven tanks would begin from next month.

Nine tanks have the capacity to store five lakh litres each, three tanks can store 7.5 lakh litres each, five tanks can store 10 lakh litres each, and one tank has the capacity to store two lakh litres.

Once, all the 56 tanks are ready, 135 mld of water could be supplied to residents everyday.

Officials said that the trial run would commence soon.

The project has been designed in such a way that the capacity could be increased to 155 mld in 2025, and 200 mld in 2040.

The corporation had recently floated tender for operation and maintenance of the scheme at a cost of Rs. 29.59 crore.

THE HINDU