Four talukas affected as Opa water plant pipeline detaches near Curti

Ponda: A small section of the 750-mm cast iron rising main pipeline supplying the 54MLD water treatment plant near Opa Water Works detached near a mechanical joint at Curti hill, leaving several areas in four talukas without water on Monday.

The drinking water department began repairs on a war footing. Work is expected to be completed by Tuesday, and supply will resume, said Sunil Shet, assistant engineer at Opa Water Works.

The 54MLD plant draws raw water through the 750-mm CI rising main pipeline. Following the detachment, the authorities shut the plant to carry out repairs. Shet said continuous water pressure can loosen and detach pipes over time.

Monday’s shutdown has affected the entire Ponda constituency and parts of Marcaim, Priol, Shiroda, Cumbharjua, St Andre, Valpoi and Dharbandora, with tap water supply disrupted since the afternoon.

The Opa water treatment complex includes 8MLD, 55MLD, 72MLD, and 40MLD plants, which together treat and supply about 140 MLD. Its main source is the Khandepar river, originating in Karnataka and flowing through Dudhsagar waterfall. The Kalem river from Sanguem joins as a tributary. Opa Water Works, including the Curti plant complex, supplies water by gravity to nearly 95% of Ponda, Tiswadi, and Dharbandora.

The 54MLD plant sits about 190m. After treatment, water is pumped to the Curti master balancing reservoir (MBR) and then gravity-fed to the MBRs that supply the surrounding areas. “On Monday morning, misalignment near the rising main pipeline joint was noticed. Our staff immediately stopped supplying and began realigning the pipe,” Shet said.