Denmark technology for flood and drainage management
Sri Lanka is preparing to embrace new Denmark technology in flood and drainage management infrastructure essential to reduce the impact of future floods in the catchment of the Colombo Water Basin.
According to Minister of Megapolis and Western Development Patali Champika Ranawaka, the government has decided to intensify the integrated flood management system and interventions.
The government has taken this decision following implementation of piecemeal solutions for several decades by previous regimes.
The aim is to enhance the economic value of the water bodies by properly managing water as a priority task without introducing patch work solutions.
Floods in Colombo are caused by heavy rainfall and a macro-drainage system with insufficient storage, conveyance and outflow capacity.
Under this set up, the Ministry has decided to upgrade the existing pumping stations and build new stations under a US $320 million project.
An efficient flood protection plan for the Colombo city will be implemented while improving roads and solid waste disposal, a senior Ministry official told the Business Times.
The Ministry has begun 36 projects in Colombo under which three pumping stations will be constructed in Nagalan Street, Ambatale and St. Sebastian South Canal.
Construction work of the pumping station at Nagalan Street has been completed.
Minister Ranawaka told the Business Times that the construction work of the St. Sebastian South Canal pumping station began this week.
Denmark-based Grundfos, a global leader in advanced pump solutions and water technology, has been awarded the contract to construct the pumping station.
Its solutions include flood-control pumps, which can be engineered to provide a more customised solution and to cope with the heavy demands of flood management.
It will introduce a ‘smart’ water grid that integrates existing technologies such as sensors, rainfall measurements, automation technologies and intelligent pumping systems to Sri Lanka.
The total capacity of this automatic pumping station with modern technology is 10 cubic metres per second and its construction work is to be completed in 17 months, he said.
It will pump flood waters to Beira Lake Colombo and release it via sluice gates at the lake.
This project will help to control floods in Colombo city, Keselwatte, Maligawatte, Hulftsdorf and other suburban areas.