Key water treatment plants in Red Hills and Surapet set for major upgrades

The water treatment plant in Red Hills will be renovated after nearly 29 years since it was constructed with a capacity to treat 300 million litres a day.
| Photo Credit: JOTHI RAMALINGAM B

The water treatment plant in Red Hills, key supplier for Chennai, is set to be revamped with enhanced treatment capacity. Chennai Metrowater will call for bids this month to expand the treatment capacity of Surapet plant too.

After nearly 29 years since it was constructed with a capacity to treat 300 million litres a day, the water treatment plant in Red Hills would be renovated. Chennai Metrowater would float tenders this month for the ₹430.12-crore project that would be executed in public-private partnership mode.

The plant, which was built adjacent to the Red Hills reservoir on an extent of 26 hectares, holds significance as it treats and supplies water to north, central and southern parts of the city. It supplied water to parts of north Chennai to offset the gap caused by drop in desalinated water supply from Minjur. Water is sent to various distribution stations in Kolathur, Valluvar Kottam, T.Nagar and to Ambattur and Avadi.

Officials of Metrowater said the project would help increase the production from the existing 240 mld to 310 mld. While the existing treatment technology would be continued, all electro-mechanical equipment, filter media in gravity sand filters would be replaced along with renovation of civil structures. A clear water reservoir would be created to store treated water before distribution.

A new intake tower to draw up to 390 mld from the Red Hills reservoir would be built by the Water Resources Department. The project would be completed in two years, officials said.

On the overhauling of the Red Hills plant in 2013, officials noted that a portion of the works was carried out then, including replacement of filter media in filter beds and electrical panels in pretreatment units of plant.

The 14 mld-capacity water treatment plant in Surapet would be revamped with an increased treatment capacity of 47 mld. It was originally constructed by Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board in 1965 and was taken over by Metrowater in 2009 to cater to urban demand.

Once completed within two years, the plant would cater to areas like Shanmugapuram in Madhavaram zone and parts of Ambattur zone, including Kallikuppam, HVF, Avadi and 12 more bulk water consumers, officials said.

While welcoming the move to renovate the treatment facilities, water conservation activists stressed that prevention of pollution at water source must be prioritised along with treatment upgrades.

S.Sameer, founder, Social Work Team Trust (SWOTT), based in Red Hills, said, “It is imperative to improve water treatment facilities to ensure safe drinking water to Chennaiites. But the authorities concerned must also prioritise arresting pollution in Red Hills reservoir. The lake is vulnerable to raw sewage and solid waste in places like Padianallur, Thirumullaivoyal and Surapet.”