Water board plans 24×7 response to chlorine leaks at 292 plants | Hyderabad News

Hyderabad: To ensure uninterrupted supply of chlorinated drinking water to the city, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) has decided to hand over maintenance of 292 chlorination plants at its water treatment facilities and reservoirs to an agency, with a provision for round-the-clock response to chlorine gas leaks.The year-long maintenance contract aims to keep the plants functioning properly through routine maintenance, servicing, repairs and replacement of minor and major spare parts in vacuum-operated chlorination plants of different capacities. The work is intended to ensure the smooth functioning of the systems and uninterrupted chlorination of water supplied by the board.“As part of the contract, the selected agency will have to inspect every chlorination plant once a month and attend to emergency chlorine gas leak complaints 24 hours a day. It will also have to deploy a supervisor to coordinate with board officials and ensure that faults are rectified without delay. The tender stipulates a penalty of ₹5,000 for every complaint raised by departmental officials that remains unresolved beyond 24 hours,” said an official in HMWSSB.The agency will be responsible for servicing the equipment and replacing faulty components, including valves, regulators, filters, pipes and electrical parts. It will also have to keep standby motors ready to replace burnt-out ones to avoid delays in restoring plant operations. The contract covers 292 plants, including seven with a capacity of 50 kg an hour, nine with 30 kg an hour, 38 with 20 kg an hour, 125 with 10 kg an hour and 113 with capacities of 5 kg an hour or less.Given the risks associated with chlorine gas leaks, the contractor must provide safety equipment, including breathing apparatus and protective face masks, for personnel handling emergencies. The agency will also be required to train chlorination plant operators periodically. The maintenance work will be carried out over 12 months, including the monsoon season.