Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken a major step towards preventing water wastage by bringing the city’s water supply network under real-time monitoring through Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. So far, 163 overhead tanks have been connected to the system with 14 remaining to be integrated soon.
The city receives water from Narmada, Kolar, Upper Lake and Kaliyasot Dam, serving a population of 25 lakh. Earlier, tanks were filled manually, leading to frequent overflows, low-pressure issues and significant wastage estimated at 120 million litres (12 crore litres) per day, enough to meet the needs of over eight lakh people.
With SCADA in place, water supply data such as the time taken to fill tanks, the quantity supplied to each area, and the exact location of leakages is now available online.
As soon as a tank reaches capacity, supply is stopped automatically to prevent overflow. Leakage in pipelines is detected instantly, enabling prompt repairs and uninterrupted service.
Automated control
The system is linked not only to overhead tanks but also to 14 filter plants and nine pump houses. Fully automated controls manage large tanks while level sensors are installed in smaller ones. The centralised command centre continuously monitors water levels, pressure, and flow, adjusting supply in real time based on demand in different zones.
SCADA expected to gain efficiency
According to BMC water supply department, the city requires 375 million litres of water per day (MLD) based on 150 litres per person for 25 lakh residents. Currently, 402 MLD is supplied from the network and reservoirs, but a significant portion is lost due to leakages and overflow. SCADA aims to bridge this gap, ensuring more efficient distribution and reduced wastage.
The SCADA
SCADA is an advanced automation technology widely used in utility management. In Bhopal, it ensures tanks never overflow, halts supply automatically once they are full, and detects problems instantly. The BMC plans further upgrades to make the system more efficient, conserve millions of litres of water daily and provide more reliable service to residents.
SCADA: Key features:
Real-time monitoring of water pressure and flow in pipelines
Automatic leakage detection in the main line
Immediate updates on low pressure due to leaks
Online tracking of water loss and treatment plant operations
Complete zonal and daily supply records available online
Record is kept online
Udit Garg, BMC superintendent engineer said,"the complete record is being kept online zonally. The record of daily water supply is also available online. This has improved supply system to a large extent."
