Planning a Water Supply Scheme

A water supply scheme consists of a source of water (usually a surface water reservoir or barrage), an intake structure, water conveyance to the plant site by pressure pipes or an open channel, a pumping station, a service reservoir, etc. A brief description of the main components is provided. Data requirements and analysis are explained. A case study of the Chhattisgarh Ultra Mega Power Project (CUMPP) in district Surguja of the Chhattisgarh state of India is discussed to illustrate the procedure for planning a reservoir-based water supply scheme for a thermal power plant. The study illustrates the use of digital elevation modeling (DEM), Remote Sensing (satellite data), and a Geographic Information System (GIS) in identifying the storage capacity at four reservoir sites with minimum submergence of agricultural land to meet the water requirement of the CUMPP.