Gurgaon: Water supply from Huda plants likely to be hit this summer
The Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) is to start the silt clearing work on the Basai water treatment plant in March
The supply of potable water this summer is likely to be affected in the city as the Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) is to start the silt clearing work on the Basai water treatment plant in March. The time between December and January is deemed ideal for carrying out this kind of work, as the demand for water isn’t as much as the summer months and a disruption in supply does not affect the residents as much as it does in March and April when summer peaks.
The demand for water in the city increases by the end of March.
The areas of New Gurgaon located around the Basai plant in sectors 54 to 67, along Golf Course Road and Golf Course Extension Road, could be badly affected if supply is disrupted for a couple of weeks for clearing silt.
The Huda runs two water treatment plants at Basai and Chandubudhera. The Basai plant, which has been in vogue for 25 years, supplies 50 to 52 MGD (million gallons) of water a day.
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However, Naresh Pawar, superintending engineer (SE),Huda, who is in charge of water supply, said, “There will be no water scarcity even if the silt cleaning work takes place. We will finish the cleaning work in less than a week. Cleaning or desilting of reservoirs is essential to maintain water quality and it increases the speed of water supply through pipelines as well.”
Subhash Piplani, retired engineer from the Huda, said, “In such areas as sectors 55 and 56 near Ghata village, which are located roughly 22 km away from the (Basai) plant, water pumped from the plant takes 24 hours to reach in normal days. It would take a minimum of 7 to 10 days for normal supply to be restored in these areas after desilting. Huda should have cleaned the plant two months ago. Clearing silt from the reservoirs is essential to maintain the quality of water.”
DLF Phase I-IV, Sushant Lok, South City I and II, Ardee City, Nirvana Country and many other plush localities are situated in New Gurgaon. Some Huda sectors, too, fall in this area.
Abhey Poonia, resident Sector 54, said, “Every summer, we buy water from private tanker operators. The water supply from the Huda plants are woefully inadequate to meet our needs. Despite an assurance from the agency, the supply is yet to be augmented. Hence, we have to rely on alternative sources.”