Bentley Applications Produce Comprehensive Network Model To Help Revitalize Water Distribution for Agra, India

The City of Agra is an International Heritage City and a major tourist destination. It is situated on the banks of the Yamuna River, which is fed perennially by Himalayan glaciers and has been a source of Agra’s drinking water for centuries. However, rapid growth in urbanization and construction of irrigation networks has substantially reduced fresh water inflow into the downstream stretches of the river.

Cities situated along the river, including Delhi, discharge a large quantity of partially treated and untreated sewage and industrial waste into the river throughout the year. The Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam is a government corporation under the Uttar Pradesh state government that provides statewide water supply services. Realizing the social and economic significance of providing an adequate potable water supply to the populace and to industries, U.P. Jal Nigam initiated an improvement scheme for water supply in Agra City.

The Agra Water Supply System draws water from the Yamuna River to supply the city. It serves about 65 percent of the present population with potable water through a complex water supply system network. The distribution system is considerably old, as evidenced by high Unaccounted for Water (UFW), which is suspected to be mainly caused by physical losses due to the system’s poor condition. The operation of the existing system is considered intermittent supply, running six-to-eight hours per day on average. Using Bentley’s WaterGEMS and STAAD.Pro applications, NJS Engineers India P Limited created and analyzed a comprehensive model of the entire water network. The target outcome was to identify gaps in the current system and to create a forward-looking performance model that would enable U.P. Jal Nigam to predict water supply for decades to come, while moving from an intermittent supply system to a 24x7 system.

Using Bentley’s WaterGEMS and STAAD.Pro applications, the NJS team conducted numerous studies and analyses of the existing and future network upgrades. Creating a real-time, shareable GIS-enabled model of the network, U.P. Jal Nigam’s operations teams can now monitor inventory in real-time, instantly reducing operating and production costs. Through the detailed analysis model, future upgrades to the water network will ensure 100 percent water supply to the region by 2030, 24 hours a day. Studies also found several undersized pipes in the existing network, which can now be prioritized for replacement to ensure the future network is fully capable of meeting the increased demand, while covering 100 percent of Agra City and regional inhabitants. Using the GIS-enabled model into operations will identify problems in the network faster and shorten the time to make decisions on new connections or maintenance via a single collaboration platform. These benefits are in addition to the INR 360 million saved in the design and construction phases of the projects as a result of having more accurate models.

The City of Agra, now celebrating the 350th year of the Taj Mahal, faces a wide range of urban physical and social problems that threaten to irreparably damage its valuable tourist trade as well as the health and welfare of its citizens. The project, when completed, will provide safe and reliable water supply 24x7 in Agra and improve the living conditions of all residents in the concerned areas.

“The measurable or projected results achieved using Bentley technology included reducing the number of large-scale drawings by 35 percent, saving 300 resource hours, and 60 resource months during construction,” said Rohit Dembi, ITES Head at NJS Engineers.