Kilpauk Water Treatment Plant to get much-needed revamp after 110 years

CHENNAI: The oldest structure operated by the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) — Kilpauk Water Treatment Plant with 280 MLD capacity — is all set to be refurbished and modified.

The 110-year-old plant has the distinction of supplying drinking water to various residential areas in at least six zones in the city, and without any interruption all these years.

However, it has become outdated and inefficient, one of the reasons why the State government is in the process of preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR), project design and estimation for the project to renovate it. It’s one of the largest water treatment facilities in the city which was constructed in 1914 and has been serving for over a century.

The water from Poondi Reservoir is sent to Red Hills reservoir through a closed pipeline. The Metro Water board pumps 350-360 million litres per day (MLD) from Puzhal lake and treats it through conventional methods involving sedimentation and rapid gravity filtration. At present, the plant contributes an average of 230 MLD to the city’s water supply system, which has a total supply of 1,100 MLD.

Despite its age, the water treatment plant continues to play a crucial role in meeting the water demand in Chennai. It supplies drinking water to various places in six zones — Tondiarpet (Zone 4), Royapuram (Zone 5), Ambattur (Zone 7), Anna Nagar (Zone 8), Teynampet (Zone 9) and Kodambakkam (Zone 10).

After decades of continuous operation, the plant’s infrastructure and treatment processes have become inefficient. Many electromechanical components and systems are in dire need of replacement. Also, the plant’s capacity needs to be enhanced to meet the projected water demand for 2060 and beyond, keeping in mind the population growth, industrial and commercial activities, and other factors.

A senior official with CMWSSB told DT Next, “Since it’s the first and oldest treatment plant in Chennai, the structure need to be modified. The proposal has been sent to the State government and the report preparation is going on. However, the plant will not be shut down; it will continue to supply water to the city, as the pipelines are not damaged and do not need any replacement.”

The CMWSSB has requested the manager of Project Development Grant Fund (PGDF) under the Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited (TNUIFSL) to appoint a suitable consultant for studying the modification works to the existing 280 MLD Kilpauk Water Treatment Plant, including preparation of a DPR, process designs, bid documents and detailed estimates.

The official explained: “As of now, there are no plans to increase the capacity of the plant in Kilpauk. It’s noteworthy that the Water Resources Department (WRD) decided to increase the storage capacity of Poondi reservoir with an additional 2 TMC. In that case, the water pumping to the plant might increase in the future.”

To meet the future demand of drinking water in the city, a study will be conducted to assess the plant’s civil structure and treatment processes. Plans will be implemented to address the impact of environmental, social and climate changes on the plant. Also, the building should hold the heritage structure while carrying out revamping and modification work.

It’s noted that a comprehensive operation and repair-maintenance cost must be prepared for 10 years. They would be primary surveys conducted including water, soil, and baseline environment in the plant. The department has planned to supply 60 MLD of raw water from the existing source at Rajamangalam to the Kilpauk plant and a DPR is going on for the same.

Meanwhile, three desalination plants were set up in the city — Minjur seawater desalination plant with a capacity of 100 MLD supplies water in north Chennai. Also, Nemmeli desalination plant has a capacity of 100 MLD and 150 MLD which distributes drinking water to the residential areas in the southern part of the city. The CMWSSB is building another desalination plant in Perur with 400 MLD capacity, which would become an additional source of water for the city.