Water pipeline develops leak for second time in one month

AGRA:The water pipeline under the Bodla-Sikandra flyover, which is managed by the Agra Jal Sansthan, has sprung a leak for the second time within one month. Earlier, a major leakage of the 1,200 mm diameter pipeline had resulted in inadequate water supply in Kedar Nagar and Shahgang areas.
On Sunday, Jal Sansthan officials dug out the underground pipeline to check the leak.The repairs are likely to start in the next two days.
In June, the Jal Sansthan officials had increased volume of water supply from the Sikandra water works station, resulting in higher pressure in the pipeline. A test was conducted for supply of 220 million litres per day (MLD). For one week, the supply continued without any problem. But on Saturday morning, the main supply line sprung a leak.
It is the same pipeline with a width of 1,200 mm that had developed a major leak in May. At that time, it took Jal Sanstan more than 20 days to fix the pipeline. The Jal Sansthan had to incur Rs 25 lakh to replace the damaged pipe. Supply was normalized on June 3. But due to lack of proper maintenance, another leakage developed in less than a month after the repairs.
To repair the pipeline, supply had to be completely stopped the last time. A similar move this time will again affect around 20,000 people of Kedar Nagar and Shahganj area.
General manager, Jal Sansthan, RS Yadav said, “The leak in the pipeline has been identified. The damaged part of the pipeline will be replaced. The work is likely to take one week. Till then, water tankers will be deployed in the affected areas.”
According to the sources, thousands of litres of water is wasted every day as supply pipelines maintained by Jal Sansthan have more than two dozen leaks. It is estimated that around 50 million litres per day is wasted in the city due to pipeline leaks. The number of leaks have increased in the past two years.