WMI, in partnership with VINCI Construction Grands Projets and a Nepalese contractor, was recently awarded the design-build-operate contract for the management of the new water network of Kathmandu Valley using hydraulically controlled valves actuated with SCADA (Nepal).
The scope of the contract entails the following:
- a SCADA system for the water supply system,
- a network analysis system including GIS and water modeling capabilities,
- 50+ large-capacity, control valves,
- an Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) system including 1,000 meters in a pilot zone,
- and a master plan update.
The design-build phase of the contract is slated to last two years, followed by an additional two years of operations. The operate phase will provide ample time for the smooth takeover of the new SCADA system by Nepalese staff.
A brand-new water infrastructure, founded by the Asian Development Bank, is currently under construction in Kathmandu. The first phase will soon provide 170 MLD of water to the population. The second phase to be implemented will bring the total capacity up to 510 MLD.
After the first phase of construction works, water supply will remain intermittent. The objectives assigned to the SCADA are therefore as follows:
- distribute water evenly to the population,
- protect the new infrastructure,
- monitor and record flow, pressure and water quality data as measured at key locations of the new infrastructure.
The new SCADA will be phased in gradually. First, the city’s fifteen reservoirs will be equipped along with the Bulk Distribution System. Then, critical DMAs and sub-DMAs will be added. The SCADA will have sufficient capacity to gradually add all DMAs and sub-DMAs.