HYDERABAD: A study report submitted before the Supreme Court-mandated judicial commission on water and sanitation by the Sindh government’s planning & development (P&D) department of the Sindh government has recommended that rehabilitating Latifabad’s 5MGD ‘pressure filter plant’ would not yield result.

The report signed by Planning and Development (P&D) Secretary Dr Shireen Mustafa was submitted to commission’s task force chairman Jamal Mustafa Syed here on Friday during a meeting. At a meeting of the commission on Aug 18, Dr Shireen was given three queries to respond.

In her report, she recommended against investing in the present technology of Latifabad’s 5MGD filtration plant of the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) that was installed under the Hyderabad Development Package (HDP) in 2007. She proposed that Wasa should prefer rapid sand gravity filtration (RSGF) plant system at this water reservoir.

Today, task force chairman Jamal Mustafa Syed, who is the Sindh secretary irrigation, chaired a meeting of the officers of industries, Wasa, civil administration and others to get updates on the ongoing works in the offices of the Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (Sida). Judicial Commission head Amir Hani Muslim, a retired apex court judge, was to hold proceedings at the judge’s lodge, but he could not chair it due to personal reasons.

The chairman discussed a number of items on the agenda of the commission that pertained to Unit-4 water reservoir facility of Wasa, Kotri’s combined effluent treatment plant (CETP), CETP Nooriabad, de-silting of lagoon of Wasa, Hussainabd’s 5MGD filtration plant rising etc.

In her report, she said “Pressure Filter Plant of 5 MGD was installed under the HDP which was a fully mechanised system. After completion of the plant under the HDP, the same was handed over to Wasa in 2007 that was reportedly operated only for three months. During high turbid water season, overall filtration plant had not worked properly resulting in release of turbid water instead of clear potable water”.

The operation of plant was hampered due to turbidity, non-availability of skilled manpower and its high operation and maintenance cost.

The plant was visited by a P & D team along with Wasa’s managing director and his team on Aug 18 and it was found that the plant was completely abandoned as pipes were broken and its motors were not available. Further, land of the filter plant was also encroached as there was no boundary wall around it, which caused pollution into water tanks due to close proximity of private houses. Moreover, no skilled staff was deputed to operate the plant.

“Major reasons for failure of the filter plant were attributed to inadequate skilled manpower, choking of filter media due to high level of turbidity, deterioration of pipe network for being exposed to soaring heat as there was no roof on plant and no proper security,” report said.

The report said the option of ultra filtration was also examined, but it involved high capital and operation and maintenance cost.

High turbidity of raw water would hamper performance and efficiency of ultra filtration plant and its membrane. Thus it would not be sustainable in the long run.

It said the option of the RSGF plant was a conventional and tested system, which was working in various cities/towns of Sindh, including Hyderabad. But it required adequate land for construction of various components of a plant like clarifier, alum dosing, filter beds, chlorination, clear water tanks etc.

As per Wasa’s claim, land is available to construct such plant which could further be expanded after removal of encroachment.

The report said the option was discussed in the technical committee which suggested that the sponsor (HDA) to work out on the provision of the RSGF plant instead of existing technology and review scheme as there were chances that existing plant would be non-functional again after its rehabilitation, considering higher maintenance and operational cost and technology.

The report concluded that “further investment in rehabilitation of existing plant would not yield desired results”.

It said Wasa might take immediate action on short-term measures and prepare a comprehensive scheme based on the RSGF plant of more than 5MGD capacity and submit for approval by the competent forum.

About CETP Kotri, the chairman discussed reports of consultants on non-functioning of the plant. A new project cost-I would be prepared by the industries department with pre-treatment component. The cost of PC-I is Rs91m.

Regarding CETP in Nooriabad area, it was decided advertisement for Rs443.35m scheme would be again floated to invite contractors for qualification. In the earlier ad, the contractors were not qualified. It would be re-advertised in Sept.

Re-advertisement would also take place for works of Wasa’s western and southern sewerage treatment plants.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2018