Re-trial of tunnel of Melamchi Drinking Water project planned for next month

Kathmandu - Sanchita Ghimire The test-run of the tunnel of Melamchi Drinking Water Project would be conducted within next month. The tunnel is going to be re-tested correcting the error after an incident occurred in course of a trial run around four months ago. Spokesperson at the Ministry of Water Supply, Ritesh Kumar Shakya, said that a plan has been set to test the tunnel again sending water in it as activities to correct the pervious error is likely to be completed.

He shared that the activities to correct the errors in the sluice gate to the tunnel are likely to be completed within last of this month. Shakya opined that it might take second week of February 2021 to supply water to Kathmandu even after completing the corrective works on the tunnel gate within November.

Adding that less quantity of water would be send as per the work procedure made by the Ministry, he shared that the water would be held in the tunnel for few days even after it is filled with water. Shakya said, “It will be easy to find out whether or not there is problem in tunnel after blocking the water in the tunnel. The water will be supplied if there is no problem.” The Spokesperson shared that the drinking water would be distributed in Kathmandu Valley only after the water reaches at water treatment centre at Sundarijal.

There are two water treatment centres in Sundarijal. The water diverted from the Melamchi stream in Sindhupalchok district would be distributed soon after the water reaches at Sundarijal, Kathmandu as necessary structures have already been constructed in Kathmandu Valley for the same. An incident occurred on July 14 when the gates of tunnel at Helambu rural municipality-1 of Sindhupalchowk district collapsed due to technical error.

A committee formed under the Joint-Secretary of the Ministry, Ramakanta Dawadi, to study about the incident concluded that the incident had taken place as the gates, which should be inside the tunnel, were kept outside the tunnel. The Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) is considered to be the most viable long-term alternative to ease the chronic water shortage situation within the Kathmandu Valley.

The Project is designed to divert about 170 MLD of fresh water to Kathmandu Valley from the Melamchi River in Sindhupalchowk district. Augmenting this supply by adding about a further 170 MLD each from the Yangri and Larke rivers, which lie in the upstream proximity of Melamchi are also being investigated as future supply sources.