GIS technology improves water distribution and billing efficiency in Coimbatore's 24/7 supply project
The 24/7 drinking water project, being implemented in 60 wards of Coimbatore's pre-2011 city limits, has led to improvements in water distribution and billing efficiency through the integration of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology.
The project targets 1.5 lakh house service connections (HSCs). As of now, 1,27,856 connections have been provided. Of the planned 1,822 km of pipeline, 1,758.84 km have been laid. Of the 33 service reservoirs (overhead tanks) proposed, 29 have been completed and work is in progress on the remaining four.
The project also includes creation of 97 District Metering Areas (DMAs)—zoned segments of the distribution network with 2,000 to 3,000 connections each. These zones are monitored for flow and pressure to optimise supply. So far, 57 DMAs have been commissioned. Of these, 41 receive continuous supply, while 16 currently receive intermittent supply.
The project includes a Real-time Operation Performance System (ROPeS), which integrates infrastructure from the main pipeline to household taps within a central GIS platform. This allows real-time monitoring of parameters such as flow, pressure, quality, and the number of connections receiving water.
According to the official leading the project, the GIS technology has enabled accurate and efficient management. 'Billing efficiency has risen from 40% in 2019 to 100% in 2025, and water wastage has been reduced to 15%,' the official said.
Before GIS integration, tap operators tracked supply manually using drawings, and there was no consolidated data on supply, billing, or losses. 'Earlier, leakages could take weeks or even months to identify and repair. Now, we are able to detect leaks within six hours and initiate repairs quickly,' the official added.
The GIS platform also works in tandem with a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, which raises alerts when water quality falls below standards.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
15-06-2025
- Time of India
Forest school imparts training in use of geospatial tools
Guwahati: Assam Forest School in Jalukbari has enhanced forester training by incorporating contemporary geospatial tools for daily forest management, officials said on Sunday. Geospatial technologies like GIS and GPS provide forest staff with accurate tools for planning, surveillance, and decision-making. According to experts, these tools assist in developing detailed forest coverage maps, monitoring wildlife movements, evaluating habitat change, and supporting evidence-based conservation. A six-day thematic refresher training on open-source GIS software for forester-I was recently completed at the Assam Forest School, Jalukbari. As many as 20 forester-I trainees and one junior assistant from across 20 forest divisions across the state participated in the programme. The training commenced with Preeti Buragorhain, DCF in charge of conservator of forest, Dr Priyasha Saikia, DFO, Guwahati Social Forestry Division, and Dimpi Bora, director of Assam Forest School, Jalukbari, in attendance. The programme aimed to enhance the technical proficiency of ground-level forest staff through practical training. "Trainees were introduced to GPS and its applications in forestry and wildlife, GPS and mobile app-based data collection methods, the use of Google Earth Pro in mapping with relevant case studies, an overview of GIS data types and sources, digitisation of points, lines, and polygons in Google Earth Pro, and also included the fundamentals of map composition using QGIS software," a organiser said. Aaranyak's resource persons conducted the six-day training sessions. Forest officials highlighted GIS's vital role in their department. With forests facing threats from deforestation, encroachment, and climate change, precise monitoring and management have become crucial, they noted. The closing ceremony was attended by chief guest Dibakar Deb, a silviculturist. Participants pledged to implement their new skills.
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- The Hindu
GIS technology improves water distribution and billing efficiency in Coimbatore's 24/7 supply project
The 24/7 drinking water project, being implemented in 60 wards of Coimbatore's pre-2011 city limits, has led to improvements in water distribution and billing efficiency through the integration of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. The project targets 1.5 lakh house service connections (HSCs). As of now, 1,27,856 connections have been provided. Of the planned 1,822 km of pipeline, 1,758.84 km have been laid. Of the 33 service reservoirs (overhead tanks) proposed, 29 have been completed and work is in progress on the remaining four. The project also includes creation of 97 District Metering Areas (DMAs)—zoned segments of the distribution network with 2,000 to 3,000 connections each. These zones are monitored for flow and pressure to optimise supply. So far, 57 DMAs have been commissioned. Of these, 41 receive continuous supply, while 16 currently receive intermittent supply. The project includes a Real-time Operation Performance System (ROPeS), which integrates infrastructure from the main pipeline to household taps within a central GIS platform. This allows real-time monitoring of parameters such as flow, pressure, quality, and the number of connections receiving water. According to the official leading the project, the GIS technology has enabled accurate and efficient management. 'Billing efficiency has risen from 40% in 2019 to 100% in 2025, and water wastage has been reduced to 15%,' the official said. Before GIS integration, tap operators tracked supply manually using drawings, and there was no consolidated data on supply, billing, or losses. 'Earlier, leakages could take weeks or even months to identify and repair. Now, we are able to detect leaks within six hours and initiate repairs quickly,' the official added. The GIS platform also works in tandem with a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, which raises alerts when water quality falls below standards.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Time of India
Low-cost eco-roofs may help cool informal settlements by up to 6°C
New Delhi: A new report on urban heat resilience in Delhi's informal settlements, based on on-ground insights, suggests the use of low-cost, multi-layered roofs made from localised materials, including bamboo, jute and cardboard. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now These roofs can reduce indoor temperatures by 2 to 6 degrees Celsius of the outside temperature, stated the report. The report, Heat Solutions: Unboxing Learnings on Heat Resilient Housing from Urban Poor in Delhi, by Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group was released on Tuesday. It offers insights into how climate resilience can be built where it's needed most—in informal settlements vulnerable to rising heat. According to the report, roof-type models were implemented in the identified wastepicker settlements in south and central Delhi. "Model 2, which used a layer each of tarpaulin, existing tin, insulation sheet, cardboard, bamboo and jute, was the most effective," it pointed out. Under model 1, a layer each of tarpaulin, existing tin, insulation sheet, thermocol, bamboo and jute were used as a roof. "It was found that the temperature was 5°C less than outdoors, and 12°C less than a non-installation house (without such roofs)," said the report. Under model 2, the roof uses tarpaulin for waterproofing and retains the tin roof, but substitutes thermocol with cardboard for insulation, making it a more environmentally sustainable option. The insulation sheet, bamboo and jute are used similarly to model 1, providing insulation and structural support. "In this model, the temperature was 6°C less than outdoors and 13°C less than a non-installation house. However, the use of jute in informal settlements infested with pests caused these to destroy the roofs. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Thus, this model won't work for pest-infested areas or will have to be repeated every year," said the report. Under model 3, a layer each of tarpaulin, cardboard, bamboo and existing tin were used, and mercury was found to be three degrees less than the outdoor temperature. According to the report, based on GIS mapping and Chintan's area of operation, five informal settlements were identified for the current study on heat-resilient housing for the urban poor. This includes Bhalswa landfill, Nizamuddin Basti, Vivekananda Camp in Chanakyapuri, Hanuman Mazdoor Camp in RK Puram and Sihani in Ghaziabad. "A team of Chintan and STS Global surveyed 484 people living in identified wastepicker settlements. 100% of the respondents reported facing health impacts due to heatwaves," said the report. While 45% of the respondents reported fainting and nausea when exposed to heat, 32% complained about a constant sense of fatigue and weakness. 27% of people reported breathlessness and asthma, which intensified during the peak summer. Bharati Chaturvedi, founder and director of Chintan, said up to 30% of people in an Indian city lived in informal settlements, and their experience with heat was more intense and needed to be addressed with more nuance. "We have to address their thermal comfort if we want cities to continue to be running and we want health equity," she said.
