The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The completion of 10 MLD (Millions of Liters per Day) Water Treatment Plant at Taba and the construction of Intake, Transmission main line from Dodena to Taba with further trunk lines and distribution reservoirs aims to solve the water shortage problem in Thimphu.
The project funded by World Bank is a part of Central Water Supply scheme (CWSS) to improve urban infrastructure services in Northern Thimphu where no formal services are available and also to augment the existing water supply system for some parts of the overall thromde.
The CWSS covers two packages, Package one includes construction of intake, transmission main from Dodena to Taba, trunk lines, distribution reservoirs including care taker quarters at different locations. The Nu 229.073 mn work began on February 17, 2017 and is expected to completed by October 2018.
The Thromde will build a RCC intake structure on one of the tributaries of Wangchu which flows between Cheri and Tango Monastery about 1.3 Km upstream from Cheri monastery parking. It will also construct a pre-sedimentation tank with a capacity of 800 cubic meters (cum) at Gebthang, Dodena.
The 350 mm water transmission line will follow the from sedimentation tank along the existing road till Kusuchen BHU and continue along Wangchu Buffer from Kusuchen till Pangrizampa. About 43 plot owners will be affected for which the project will pay compensation.
Four clear water reservoirs shall be built at Taba, Samteling, Pamtsho and Langjophakha.
CWSS package two includes Construction of 10 MLD water treatment plant at Taba. The Water Treatment Plant is located near Wangchuk resort at Taba. Raw water from Dodena will be treated and supplied to four clear water reservoirs of 230,000 liters capacity each located at Taba, Pamtsho, Samteling and Langjophakha.
With a budget of Nu 172.785 mn the work started on September 1, 2017 and is expected to end by November 2018.
The new water treatment shall be sufficient for 100,000 people at Taba, Jungshina-Pamtsho, Hejo –Samteling, Langjophakha Yangchenphu and Changjiji Housing Colony. Further, it is also expected to augment the existing water supply shortages for the urban core area especially in the Norzin lam area.
At present, Thimphu thromde has four major water treatment plants. In North Thimphu, Dechencholing water treatment plant with 1.4 MLD distributes water to Dechencholing LAP covering 96 buildings.
In Core Thimphu, Motithang water treatment plant with 6.5 MLD caters to Motithang, Changedaphu, Changzamtog, YHS area and Kawajangsa. The Jungshina water treatment plant with 6.5 MLD provides water to upper and lower Langjophakha, Kawajangsa, Hongkong Market areas and Changjiji. In addition, two boreholes at Changzamtog and Changjiji with a flow of 7000 cubic meters per day cater to Changzamtog and Changjiji.
Finally, Chamgang treatment plant with a flow of 5000-6500 cubic meters per day provide water to Southern LAPS which includes Olakha, Babesa, Simtokha, Lungtenphu and Changbangdu.
Thromde said, “With the completion of 10 MLD water treatment plant at Taba, areas like Motithang, Changzamtog, Jungshina and Changjiji will not have any water problem. The water treatment plant at Taba will cater to Langjophakha, Dzong areas, core areas, Yangchenphu, Changjiji and Lungtenphu. Water source at Dodena is large and would not dry during dry seasons”.
In the 12th Five Year Plan, thromde plans to improve the water supply system in Thimphu by providing 24 hours water in a day. In the first year of the 12th plan, with an estimated budget of Nu 8 million, thromde plans to improve the water supply system in Thimphu by constructing 2 MLD water treatment plant at Ngabirongchu, rehabilitate Jungshina water treatment plant and distributing network extension.
Rehabilitation of intake structures, sand traps, transmission pipelines at Motithang, Megaypang, Dechencholing and Jungshina are also being proposed.
Thromde shall also replace valves, rehabilitate service tanks, valve chambers, security fences, supply pipes and install and commission water meters.
