PWD hopes to restore normal water supply to Bardez by Mon

the goan I network

MAPUSA

Normalcy in water supply may now be restored on Monday and not during the weekend, as earlier assured by the Public Works Department (PWD).   

One of the motors sent for repairs to Bangalore was expected to arrive in Goa on Sunday, which will then be installed at the 50 mld treatment plant at Assonora.   

“Work of motor repair is going on. It will take some time. In the meantime we are pumping from the additional pumps at the 30 mld and 12 mld plants,” said V M Chavan, Executive Engineer, PWD (WD).   

“By Sunday or Monday, our main motor should be installed. They are transporting it tomorrow (Saturday) night. By Monday, normalcy should be restored according to our rough calculations,” he added.   

The executive engineer said that the department was trying to balance and manage the supply till the motors come back.   

“Wherever there is excess supply, we are trying to control it and some people we give sufficient water on alternate days. With that, it is balancing,” Chavan said.   

In the meanwhile, the 20 mld motor which was expected to be installed on Wednesday, as temporary measure, developed an alignment problem and was sent to a workshop in Vasco on Thursday morning.   

Sources disclosed that the motor was supposed to be brought back on Friday but for some reason got delayed and was now expected to be brought on Saturday.   

The department officials are keeping their fingers crossed and hoping nothing worse happens in the interim period.   

By and large water condition has improved in Mapusa as most areas have received supply after water remained out of bound to residents of Mapusa for almost five days.   

It may be recalled that on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi two motors at the 50 mld treatment plant got reportedly burnt halting the operation of the plant and plunging entire Bardez and parts of Bicholim in a 

water crisis. 

Now, water shortage hits Porvorim

PORVORIM: After acute water shortage wreaked havoc and angry protests in and around Mapusa, residents from Porvorim and surrounding areas have also been hit by similar water problems since the last 

four days.  

Speaking to The Goan, aggrieved locals claimed that many residential buildings do not have sufficient storage facilities in Porvorim and they have been worst 

affected.  

“we are forced to meet our daily requirement through water tankers, for which we are required to shell out exorbitant charges. We have made several complaints to the PWD water supply division, but in vain,” complained one affected resident.  

When contacted, PWD Executive Engineer VMR Chavan explained that water shortage has cropped up because the pumps at the Assanora Water Treatment Plant (WTP) have become non-functional.   

“As such, supply to entire Bardez taluka has been badly affected. Water requirement in Porvorim and surrounding areas is around 20 MLD per day. But since last four days, Porvorim has been receiving barely 7-11 MLD of water supply each day.”   

“On Friday, we received 15 MLD and the supply to Porvorim is improving,” said Chavan.  

Stating that the PWD is ensuring that all parts of Porvorim get water through proper distribution system, Chavan added, “The PWD has taken steps to rectify/replace the damaged pumps at the Assanora WTP and by Monday, water supply to Porvorim is expected to be normal.”