A Journey Through Hyderabad's Water Management: Industrial Trip to Mir Alam Filter Bed

A Journey Through Hyderabad's Water Management: Industrial Trip to Mir Alam Filter Bed

Today, I would like to share my experience from an industrial trip during my 3 year civil engineering diploma program. As a student of a women’s government college, many may be surprised that we had the opportunity for such an excursion. However, we were indeed taken to Hyderabad to visit the Mir Alam Filter Bed section, and it was an incredible journey. I’m excited to share some pictures from this experience.

We began our day early, gathering at our college in Warangal around 6 AM. After a brief bus ride, we stopped at Vivera Hotel for breakfast, which provided a nice break before continuing our journey.

Upon arriving at the site, I took a picture of the welcome board at the entrance. It prominently featured the logos of the Government of Telangana, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, and the Office of the Manager, emphasizing the importance of this facility.

After the formal confirmation and the presentation of our official documentation regarding the visit, we were permitted to enter the facility. Here’s a picture I captured inside:

We were assigned a guide for every 20 students, who explained everything from the facility's history to its components and working processes. Below is a brief overview of what we learned during the tour:

Sedimentation Basins: The large rectangular structures filled with water that you see in the picture are sedimentation basins. These basins are designed to slow down the flow of water, allowing suspended solids to settle at the bottom.

Filtration System: The pipes and channels running through the basins are part of the filtration system. This is where water is passed through filtering materials, such as sand or gravel, to remove impurities.

Chlorination Facility: The building in the background likely houses the chlorination facility, where chlorine is added to the water to disinfect it and eliminate harmful bacteria.

This hands-on experience allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of the water treatment process and the critical role it plays in ensuring safe drinking water for our community.

During our visit, I captured another insightful picture from the wall detailing the chlorination system used at the facility:

Chlorinator Details:

• Chlorinator Type: Model VF
• Capacity: 20 kg/hr (This indicates that the chlorinator can process 20 kilograms of chlorine per hour.)
• Manufacturer: Industrial Devices (India) Pvt. Ltd.
• Location: 158, DSIDC Complex, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-I, New Delhi-110020

To share a bit of knowledge about chlorination: Chlorine is a widely used disinfectant that effectively kills harmful bacteria in water. The chlorinator ensures that the correct amount of chlorine is added to the treated water, making it safe for consumption. This process is crucial in ensuring that the water supplied to the community is free from contaminants and safe for public use.

As our journey continued, we visited the Quality Assurance and Testing MRG Laboratory. This facility plays a crucial role in maintaining the safety of Hyderabad's water supply.

The laboratory conducts regular tests on the treated water to ensure it meets stringent quality standards. These tests monitor the effectiveness of the water treatment process at the Mir Alam Filter Bed section, ensuring that the water supplied to the community is safe and of high quality.

The work conducted in this laboratory is vital for public health, as it helps identify any potential issues in the treatment process and guarantees that the water is safe for consumption.

During our visit, I also came across a board displaying the physical and chemical standards of drinking water. I captured a picture of this important information:

As we prepare to study Environmental Engineering in the upcoming semester, I realize just how crucial this subject is for every civil engineer. Providing safe drinking water and ensuring proper sewage treatment are not easy tasks.

After seeing the intricacies and significance of this work firsthand, I was truly surprised by the level of detail involved. My passion for civil engineering has grown even more, and I aspire to work on interesting projects like this in the future.

On our way through the facility, we also came across a vintage laboratory balance, which I couldn’t resist capturing in a picture:

This balance, likely used for precise measurements of chemicals during the water treatment process, showcased the traditional two-pan system:

• Two-Pan System: The design features two pans—one for the sample and the other for the corresponding weights.
• Pointer and Scale: The pointer indicates the balance point, while the scale provides accurate measurements.

Seeing this piece of equipment gave us a glimpse into the earlier methods used in water treatment and the precision required for maintaining water quality.

Next, we were taken to the sewage treatment plant, another crucial part of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board's (HMWS&SB) operations. Here, I captured a picture of the signboard featuring the Government of Telangana and HMWS&SB:

This part of the visit highlighted the processes involved in treating wastewater. Sewage treatment is essential to ensure that the water we discharge back into the environment is clean and safe, preventing pollution and safeguarding public health. The plant plays a vital role in the city's water management system by processing wastewater and sewage to remove contaminants and protect water bodies.

It was fascinating to see how different aspects of water and sewage management come together to form an integrated system that ensures sustainable water usage and public safety.

We were then taken to another building where I noticed an informative poster about the Amerpet Sewage Treatment Plant, a facility with a capacity of 389 MLD (Million Liters per Day).

This large-scale facility plays a critical role in treating wastewater in Hyderabad, helping to prevent pollution and improve overall water quality. By handling such a significant volume of wastewater, it helps protect both the environment and public health. The treatment process ensures that harmful contaminants are removed before the water is discharged back into local water bodies, contributing to cleaner rivers and lakes.

Seeing the scale of operations at Amberpet made me realize the importance of such infrastructure in urban management, and it further deepened my interest in civil engineering.

In that same building, we were also shown a detailed model of the Amerpet Sewage Treatment Plant. The model provided a visual representation of the plant’s layout, illustrating the various stages involved in the wastewater treatment process.

The in-charge of the building walked us through each stage, explaining how wastewater flows through the facility, from initial treatment to final discharge. This hands-on demonstration helped us better understand the complex process of treating wastewater and the plant's vital role in maintaining water quality in the city.

Our industrial trip to Hyderabad's Mir Alam Filter Bed was an unforgettable experience, filled with valuable insights and hands-on learning. From understanding the intricate processes of water filtration and chlorination to exploring the significance of wastewater treatment, we gained a deep appreciation for the infrastructure that keeps our water safe and sustainable.

This site visit was not just an academic excursion; it ignited our passion for civil engineering, highlighting the crucial role engineers play in safeguarding public health and the environment. The day was long, with our journey extending until 7 PM, but the knowledge we gained and the experiences we shared made every moment worthwhile. We returned to our college with a deeper understanding of the importance of water management and a renewed enthusiasm to contribute to such impactful projects in the future.

We thoroughly enjoyed this trip, and it undoubtedly left a lasting impression on all of us.

POOJA MATTAPALLI

My Internship Journey in Civil Engineering: A Memorable Site Visit

My Internship Journey in Civil Engineering: A Memorable Site Visit

During my final year of pursuing a three-year diploma in Civil Engineering from Government Polytechnic College, we had a mandatory six-month internship. It was an important part of our program, providing us hands-on experience in real-world projects. I was fortunate to lead a team of 11 members, and we were placed in the Public Health Department under the guidance of an executive engineer.

Our mentor, a junior assistant assigned to us, explained the tasks related to two major government schemes running simultaneously during that period: Mission Bhagiratha and the AMRUT Project.

• Mission Bhagiratha is a Telangana State Government initiative aimed at supplying safe drinking water to every household across the state.
• AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) is a Central Government program focused on improving urban living standards by enhancing water supply, sewerage networks, open spaces, pollution reduction, urban transport, and stormwater drainage.

A private company had secured the tender for executing these projects, and their site engineer assisted us throughout the construction process. Our first major site visit was in Waddepally, Warangal, where we inspected the construction of an overhead water storage tank, a key component of the local water supply system.

For context, an Overhead Water Storage Tank is a structure elevated above the ground to store and distribute water. Waddepally Lake, located in Hanamakonda, serves as a reservoir that supplies drinking water to Kazipet and Hanamakonda areas. During our visit, the project was nearing completion, and the dome of the tank was undergoing curing.

Visiting the overhead tank was an adventure on its own! Climbing to the top of the dome was both thrilling and terrifying, but it gave us a unique perspective on the scale of the work being done. We learned that a raft foundation was used for this particular tank, which is a foundation type commonly chosen for structures built on weak soil or where the building is heavy and needs to bear a significant load.

Even though the major construction work was already done when we arrived, we were fortunate to receive a thorough explanation from the site engineer. He took the time to walk us through each phase of the project, from the initial planning to the final stages of construction. We spent nearly three hours at the site, soaking up as much information as possible and taking notes on every detail.

This visit to the overhead tank at Waddepally was an unforgettable experience, not only because it was our first major site visit, but also because it gave me a deeper understanding of civil engineering in action. I’m grateful for the patience and expertise of the site engineer, whose guidance helped us appreciate the complexity and importance of such projects.

pooja mattapalli

 

My Journey of Building a Prototype 🏫

 My Journey of Building a Prototype 🏫

Today, I want to share a memorable experience from my diploma days. There was an inspection at our college, and our principal asked us to prepare a prototype of the college building using thermocol. It was such an exciting challenge for me and my friends!

We started by collecting the plan details of our college from the administration block. Based on the plan, we scaled everything down and worked meticulously to create the design with thermocol. I, along with a few friends, was assigned to create the hostel block. We paid extra attention to every detail, making sure everything looked as accurate as possible. It took us about a week of hard work, but the final result was worth it.

What made this project special was not just the outcome but the journey itself. Everyone on the team came up with innovative ideas, and we combined our creativity to make something we were all proud of. This experience also brought me closer to my classmates—we bonded over the shared challenge, and after this, we helped each other with our studies.

During my diploma, we didn’t have many lectures, so self-learning became incredibly important. If one of us had trouble with a topic, someone else would explain it, and if no one knew the answer, we’d approach a lecturer and then share it with everyone. This process taught me the value of teamwork and self-reliance. It wasn’t easy, but in the end, I completed my diploma with 88.05%. It’s a reminder that when you work hard and support each other, you can achieve more than you imagine!

Also, I don’t have many pictures of this project since access to a camera wasn’t as easy back then. I only have three photos from that time, so forgive the quality. Back then, I was just 17, and owning a camera phone was a big deal! But those few pictures still hold so many memories of that exciting and rewarding experience.

pooja mattapalli

Throwback to My Diploma Days 📐

 Throwback to My Diploma Days 📐

Okay, don’t laugh when you see this picture—yep, that’s me back in my second year of diploma! 😅 This was during one of our survey practicals, and I’m holding the dumpy level, a piece of equipment we civil engineers use to measure and survey land.

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For those who might not know, the dumpy level is an instrument used for leveling and locating points that lie on the same horizontal plane. It’s also known as the automatic level or builder's level. We use it to determine elevations at different points and to measure distances between points of the same elevation.

Basically, there's a leveling staff placed in front of us, and we take readings to figure out the ground level and make sure everything is accurate.

Looking back, I remember how fun and sometimes challenging it was to do these practicals, but they were essential in helping me understand real-world applications of civil engineering. Every little thing we learned in the field made a difference in shaping my understanding of the profession.

If you’ve ever worked with a dumpy level, or had moments like these during your studies, you know the mix of excitement and learning that comes with it!

pooja mattapalli