Pumps with IoT sensors: How BMC is planning to tackle waterlogging in Mumbai

With the May 26 flooding serving as a wake-up call, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to install Internet of Things (IoT) sensors on the dewatering pumps being set up in low-lying areas in the island city.
Every year, ahead of the monsoon, the civic body identifies low-lying areas and installs dewatering pumps there.
This year, the BMC has installed 514 pumps across locations in the island city as well as the suburbs.
These pumps channel out the accumulated water from a particular area to the nearby drainage outlets and creeks.
On May 26, following a heavy spell of rain, Mumbai almost came to a standstill due to waterlogging.
Civic officials attributed this to the non-functionality of a majority of the water pumps.
'Last year, in one such incident at Mumbai's Chunabhatti, we saw that despite pumps being installed in a particular area, there was huge flooding. Later, during our investigation, we found out that the pumps were fully ready, but the contractor responsible for operating the pumps did not turn them on, and this led to severe waterlogging in the area. Therefore, as a preventive measure against such incidents, we are installing sensors in the dewatering pumps,' Abhijit Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner, Projects, told The Indian Express.
The IoT sensors will be motion-based and will be installed on the belts of the pumps.
These belts record a high-speed motion whenever a pump is turned on, and the sensors will be able to detect when a pump is switched on from the motion of the belt.
Close to the pump, a receptor will be placed by the civic authorities, which will record the signals sent by the sensor.
This receptor will transmit the recorded data from the sensor, which will have IoT chips in it, and transmit the data to the civic body's war room.
'The sensors are motion-based devices. They will record the time when the pump is switched on and will transmit information about the entire duration for which the pump operates. So, for example, if rainfall starts at 11 am, we can clearly identify when the operator has switched on the pump and whether he did that on time. Any delay in operation will be caught as a result…these pumps will also increase accountability amongst the contractors,' Bangar added.
Officials said that by the end of this week, sensors will be installed in as many as 100 pumps and by the end of the next few weeks, the numbers will be augmented.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Time of India

20 hours ago

• Time of India

Lake levels rise 12% in 24hrs, easing water cut fears

Mumbai: The water stock in the seven lakes that supply to the city saw the steepest single-day increase this monsoon between June 19 and 20, surging from 1.9 lakh million litres (13.19% of total capacity) to 3.64 lakh million litres (25.17%). Earlier this week, on June 17 (Tuesday), the lake stock had dipped below 10%, reaching a worrying 9.78%, prompting the BMC to tap into its reserve stock, which the civic body has stopped following heavy rainfall in the lake catchment areas across Thane, Palghar and Nashik. The seven lakes are: Tansa, Bhatsa, Modak Sagar, Tulsi, Vihar, Upper Vaitarna, and Middle Vaitarna. Officials from the hydraulic department attributed the 12% jump in lake stock to intense rainfall in their catchment areas. The rise has eased fears of immediate water cuts. The civic body usually imposes water cuts in the 5-10% range in June of there is inadequate rainfall. Last year, for instance, a 10% water cut was imposed in the city from June 5 to July 29 after lake levels had dipped. Civic hydraulic department chief engineer Purshottam Malawade said that water cuts had anyway been ruled out as the BMC dipped into reserves, which would have sustained the city's needs until July. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo "But now we have stopped taking water from reserves as they belong to the irrigation department and the BMC has to pay for use," he said. Mumbai has a daily water requirement of 4,200 MLD (million litres per day). Meanwhile, Ransai Dam has begun overflowing, bringing relief to Uran township. The MIDC-run dam, which provides 35 million litres of water a day to Uran, ONGC, defence facilities, JNPT, Nhava Sheva, and 22 grampanchayats in Uran taluka, has resumed regular distribution. The facility implemented twice-weekly water restrictions since December due to reduced levels but has now achieved its complete storage capacity of 10 million cubic metres following substantial rainfall. Earlier this week, Powai lake, which supplies 10 MLD of water for industrial purposes, overflowed. Concerns over the lake have been consistent as 16-18 MLD of sewage enters it. BMC said it has a plan that includes diverting sewage lines, setting up a sewage treatment plant, and intensifying the removal of water hyacinth to restore the ecological health of the lake. (Inputs from BB Nayak)

Time of India

a day ago

• Time of India

From June 22 to 28, low water pressure in Andheri & Parle

Mumbai: Parts of K-East ward, including Vile Parle (E), Andheri-Kurla Road from Andheri station to Western Express Highway, Old Nagardas Road, New Nagardas Road and Mogarapada will receive low water pressure from June 22 to 28 due to Metro-7A project work, BMC said on Friday. During this period, MMRDA will be carrying out excavation using a tunnel boring machine beneath the 1800mm diameter pipeline that supplies water from the Veravali reservoir near Bamanwadi in Andheri (E). tnn

Indian Express

a day ago

• Indian Express

Pumps with IoT sensors: How BMC is planning to tackle waterlogging in Mumbai

With the May 26 flooding serving as a wake-up call, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to install Internet of Things (IoT) sensors on the dewatering pumps being set up in low-lying areas in the island city. Every year, ahead of the monsoon, the civic body identifies low-lying areas and installs dewatering pumps there. This year, the BMC has installed 514 pumps across locations in the island city as well as the suburbs. These pumps channel out the accumulated water from a particular area to the nearby drainage outlets and creeks. On May 26, following a heavy spell of rain, Mumbai almost came to a standstill due to waterlogging. Civic officials attributed this to the non-functionality of a majority of the water pumps. 'Last year, in one such incident at Mumbai's Chunabhatti, we saw that despite pumps being installed in a particular area, there was huge flooding. Later, during our investigation, we found out that the pumps were fully ready, but the contractor responsible for operating the pumps did not turn them on, and this led to severe waterlogging in the area. Therefore, as a preventive measure against such incidents, we are installing sensors in the dewatering pumps,' Abhijit Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner, Projects, told The Indian Express. The IoT sensors will be motion-based and will be installed on the belts of the pumps. These belts record a high-speed motion whenever a pump is turned on, and the sensors will be able to detect when a pump is switched on from the motion of the belt. Close to the pump, a receptor will be placed by the civic authorities, which will record the signals sent by the sensor. This receptor will transmit the recorded data from the sensor, which will have IoT chips in it, and transmit the data to the civic body's war room. 'The sensors are motion-based devices. They will record the time when the pump is switched on and will transmit information about the entire duration for which the pump operates. So, for example, if rainfall starts at 11 am, we can clearly identify when the operator has switched on the pump and whether he did that on time. Any delay in operation will be caught as a result…these pumps will also increase accountability amongst the contractors,' Bangar added. Officials said that by the end of this week, sensors will be installed in as many as 100 pumps and by the end of the next few weeks, the numbers will be augmented.