Valve replaced but consumers in Salcete, Mormugao will receive water today
Water gushing out from the Main Selaulim water pipeline after a JCB damaged the air valve at Paroda on Tuesday noon.
Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
Over a million litres of water went waste after the valve of the main Selaulim water pipeline was damaged by a JCB machine at Paroda on Tuesday noon, disrupting water supply to Salcete and adjoining areas.
The damaged valve was replaced by the Public Water Department (PWD) around 7.30 pm and the Selaulim line recharged again at around 8 pm.
Senior PWD, water supply officials, however, said that water consumers in Salcete and Mormugao will receive water only on Wednesday morning given that it takes minimum eight hours for the water to reach Margao from Selaulim.
The incident occurred at around 12 noon when the contractor appointed by the Water Resources Department (WRD) was carrying out the work of cleaning the thick bushes and vegetation around the water supply line when the bucket of the JCB hit the air valve.
Soon water gushed out of the main water pipeline, the lifeline of Salcete, and by evening PWD officials admitted that over a million litres of drinking water has gone waste after the incident.
Senior WRD officials told The Goan that the department had engaged the machine to clean up the vegetation and bushes at the site to pave way for the laying of a water line from River Kushavati to Davorlim in Salcete.
“The water line, which will be laid by the WRD will run parallel to the existing Selaulim water line. The new line is being laid since it is becoming difficult to carrying out maintenance of the irrigation canals during the monsoon period”, the WRD official said.
PWD, water supply senior official Srikant Gaonkar told The Goan that the valve of the main Selaulim water pipeline was damaged after the bucket of the JCB machine deployed by the WRD department hit the valve.
“Work on replacing the valve was completed in the evening. The Selaulim line has been recharged at around 8 pm”, Gaonkar said.
To a question, Gaonkar said water supply will be restored to Salcete and other areas by around 8 am on Wednesday. He conceded that over a million litres of drinking water must have gone waste after the incident.
