Delhi Jal Board has automated 116 Sewage Pumping Stations (SPS) using IoT devices to minimize negligence and prevent overflowing of sewer during monsoon
The device will easily track the quantity of sewage in sewer pumping stations, trained personnel have been appointed at every station to ensure proper inspection
Senior DJB officials will be immediately notified of irregularities at SPSs, IoTs will help establish greater accountability by tightening the overwatch
Kejriwal Government is committed to transform the water & sewerage systems of Delhi just like it transformed its health & education system: Satyendar Jain
This is a step forward in Kejriwal Government’s endeavor to improve the water quality in Delhi and clean the Yamuna on a war footing: Satyendar Jain
Siltation problems will also be reduced with the help of these monitoring devices: Satyendar Jain
NEW DELHI
The Kejriwal government is working round the clock to improve the wastewater management system in Delhi and is determined to make the Yamuna clean on a war footing. In this context, the Delhi Jal Board has decided to automate 116 SPSs (Sewage Pumping Stations) around the city by installing IoT (Internet of Things) devices to prevent overflowing of sewage and allow timely discharge from these pumps into sewage treatment plants. As soon as the sewer water crosses the threshold level in the tanks situated in these stations, the officials of the Delhi Jal Board will get the information through the monitoring device, if the pumps have not been turned on. In such a situation, the time to start the Sewer Pumping Station (SPS) will easily be ascertained, so that the sewage can be pumped towards the sewage treatment plant on time and there is no additional pressure in the sewer line. Water Minister Shri Satyendar Jain said that due to the untimely operation of SPS, several problems including sewage overflow and sewer line blockage were on the rise in many places. This action, in addition to preventing overflow, will also stop sewer lines from becoming clogged, improve the performance of Delhi’s STPs, and keep drinking water supply safe from getting mixed with sewage lines. “The Delhi Government has made all necessary preparations to fix the issues of water logging and sewer overflowing on the roads in Delhi during the monsoon season”, said Shri Satyendar Jain.
What is a sewage pumping station and how does it work?
Sewer lines are laid in such a manner so that the sewage can travel from one line to another using gravity. However, such an arrangement is not possible in all places to allow gravity to dictate the proper flow. At these junctions, sewage pumping stations store the sewage in a large underground tank and then pump it to an uphill sewer line, or STP, to prevent the discontinuation of the flow. These pumping stations have a tank in which the sewage is collected, and once the amount of sewage reaches a certain threshold level, it is then pumped out to its next destination with the help of a big motor installed at the station.
The Kejriwal government is working expeditiously to control the pollution that is flowing into the Yamuna. The Delhi Jal Board is working on laying sewer lines in unauthorised colonies in the national capital so that the entire sewage that is discharged from these colonies can be collected and treated by transporting it to sewage treatment plants. To allow the sewage to reach the STP, 116 sewage pumping stations (SPS) have been set up by the Delhi government. The sewage is sent to the STP through a motor pump fitted into the SPS, where it is further treated and released into the drains.
What were some of the challenges that plagued these pumping stations?
Earlier, these pumping stations had designated officials who manually turned on these pumps when the sewage reached a certain level in the tank. However, due to human errors leading to untimely discharge from these stations, the sewage would flow back into the sewer lines, which caused the water pipelines that run along with the sewer lines to get contaminated with the excess sewage. Over time, this also choked the sewer lines as a layer of silt was formed on their base as sewage continuously flowed back into these lines. The overflow of sewage from the places where cracks and abrasions were present in these lines could also sometimes lead to the formation of potholes as the water got collected under the pavement and weakened the road. To fix this problem, a long and costly process had to be followed, which involved first physically accessing these pipelines and then using machines to undo the clogging.
Apart from this, it also halted the sewage treatment process as STPs are biologically active and need a timely supply of organic material in the form of sewage to properly function. The untimely flow of sewage from these stations disrupted the biological activity at STPs and also caused overloading as multiple stations that pump sewage into the treatment plants were often switched on simultaneously during peak hours. This led to the issue of sewage overflow. Simultaneously, the Delhi Jal Board had to deal with difficulties in repeatedly repairing the system and treating the sewage. All of these issues will be resolved with the installation of new sensors.
This is how the new IoT based monitoring device will function
The sensor in the IoT device installed at the sewage pumping stations will ascertain the level to which the sewage water has been filled inside the SPS. As soon as the sewer water reaches more than the threshold level, the officials of the Delhi Jal Board will get the information through the monitoring device, in case the pump hasn’t been switched on. With the help of this monitoring device, the quantity of sewage can be easily tracked. Daily manual inspection of SPS, manual pump control settings, and data gathering will not be required. Moreover, due to continuous automatic data collection, the exact timing and pattern of running the pump will also be known after the sewage is filled at the pumping stations. It will be easy to know that the time has come to turn on the Sewer Pumping Station (SPS) so that the water pressure in the sewer does not increase. The record of power meter reading, daily expenditure unit, daily sewer withdrawal, power cut, and problems in sewer lines connected to the pumping station will also be ascertained.
Due to the timely running of sewage pumping stations in the city, there will be no pressure on both the sewage pipeline and the sewage treatment plant, and an adequate supply of sewage will be ensured to the STPs so that their functioning is not impeded. Apart from this, sewage will now flow through the sewer lines in a controlled manner with normal pressure so that silt will not accumulate in the sewer line. It is noteworthy to mention that earlier, the flow of sewage often came to a halt due to the pumping station not running on time. Due to this frequent stay of sewage in one place, silt used to collect and accumulate in the sewer line which over time choked these lines by reducing their overall internal diameter. Now the sewage will flow with normal pressure, due to which all these problems will be nipped in the bud and the problem of the overflow of sewage and siltation in the drains will be solved. The IoT device will also help establish greater accountability by notifying the senior DJB officials of untimely operation of a SPS.
Trained employees have been appointed at every station
Water Minister Shri Satyendar Jain said, “With the increase in the population of Delhi, there has also been an increase in sewage. It is being treated on a priority basis. The Delhi government is working round the clock to tackle sewer-related problems and clean the Yamuna. Now SPSs are being operated systematically with the help of the device. These devices not only contribute to the successful operation of pumping stations but also play a vital role in automatically regulating the urban sewerage system. Because of the rising sewer pressure, such a system has been implemented at the pumping stations. Trained personnel have been deputed to each station to ensure the responsibility of running the pumping motor as soon as the alarm message is received from the sensor.
Delhi Government’s target to clean the Yamuna by 2025
Water Minister Shri Satyendar Jain said, “It is the government’s job to develop water and sewer infrastructure. People pay taxes; that’s why they have a right to proper infrastructure. The Delhi government has set a target of cleaning the Yamuna river completely in the next three years. A plan to connect 100 percent of Delhi’s houses with sewer lines has been set up. Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal has given the responsibility of cleaning the Yamuna by February 2025 to the Jal Board, just as the Delhi Government rejuvenated schools and hospitals in the last term. This time the main objective is to clean the Yamuna on a priority basis. The Kejriwal government has taken it upon itself to fix Delhi’s sewage management system and visualise its plan of making the Yamuna clean and is constantly making extensive efforts in the right direction.”