Reuse of entire treated water as an eco-friendly measure has enabled the 90-year-old Golden Rock Railway Workshop at Tiruchi in saving around one lakh litres of fresh water every day.
A slew of environmental friendly measures has also paved the way for the British-built workshop in achieving 'Zero Water discharge’ at its sprawling premises.
The workshop has installed around 20 water meters to measure and monitor fresh water and treated water usage as part of its conservation practices.
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Engaged in core activities of Periodic Overhaul (POH) of passenger coaches and diesel locomotives, the workshop's fresh water requirement per day was around 2.94 lakh litres for component cleaning and other purposes.
The railway pumping station at Sarcarpalayam, besides supply of water from TWAD Board and 14 borewells sunk inside, are the chief sources for the workshop's daily requirement of fresh water.
Thanks to creation of recycling facilities and functioning of four effluent treatment plants inside, the entire treated water is now being reused, resulting in the conservation of around one lakh litres of precious fresh water per day. The fresh water usage has come down to nearly 1.83 lakh litres every day from 2.94 lakh litres due to reuse of the entire treated water.
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The treated water is now being used for cleaning locomotives and coaches when they arrive for POH, besides toilet flushing and gardening.
The complete use of treated water has not only resulted in saving 38% of fresh water every day from the river and groundwater sources but also enabled the workshop in achieving 'Zero Water discharge' from the workshop premises, said the official.
Three dedicated sumps have been constructed outside the compound wall of the workshop for pumping back storm water flowing outside. The water is pumped back using motors put up at three places inside the workshop and goes to the effluent treatment plants through dedicated pipelines laid to length of about 5 km inside, said an official. The pipelines are connected to various shops and garden areas for re-use of treated water.
The whole objective behind these measures is to conserve precious fresh water sourced from the Cauvery river bed and from the ground, the official said adding that these were in line with the water policy spelt out by the Railway Board.
An artificial pond has been constructed inside the workshop to collect and store rain water. The pond’s water holding capacity is around 8 lakh litres. This is in addition to the six rainwater harvesting wells constructed along the organisation's periphery. A plastic road has been laid as a pilot measure to a length of about 500 metres inside.
The environmental practices followed in the workshop have earned appreciation from various railway units as well as from the Confederation of Indian Industry, the official said.