Nemmeli desalination plant shut
Posted on: 12/Dec/2013 10:23:44 AM
The Nemmeli desalination plant has been closed and because of this Several neighborhoods such as Thiruvanmiyur, Indira Nagar and Kottivakkam have been without water for a week.
The Nemmeli plant, inaugurated in February, has been supplying 100 million litres of water a day (MLD) to large sections of south Chennai from Adyar to Sholinganallur. Last Wednesday, residents of Valmiki Nagar, Thiruvalluvar Nagar and parts of Kottivakkam realised that their sumps were empty.
Metrowater officials said the plant had not been functioning for two days. “We decided to shut down the plant on Monday and Tuesday because the turbidity of sea water had increased beyond acceptable limits due to continuous cyclonic effect,” said a Metrowater official.
Turbidity is the cloudiness caused by foreign particles in a liquid; in this case sand mixed in water. When there is a cyclone or depression in the bay, soil gets eroded from the ocean bed and mixes with the water. Three cyclones have come close to the city in the last month — Helen, Lehar and Madi.
Residents have not informed about the water shortage though the plant has been closed for at least two days. Engineers said that if the 1,050m deep pipeline drew very muddy water, it would form residue in the rest of the machinery.The desalination plant would be restarted on Wednesday evening, said a Metrowater official.
