INTAKE STRUCTURES

• Intake structures are used for collecting water from the

surface sources such as river, lake, and reservoir and
conveying it further to the water treatment plant.

• These structures are masonry or concrete structures and

provides relatively clean water, free from pollution, sand
and objectionable floating material.
Site Selection for Intake Structures
• The site should be so selected that it may admit water even
under worst condition of flow in the river. Generally, it is
preferred that intake should be sufficiently below the shore
line.

• Site should be very close to treatment plant as possible.

• It should be so located that it is free from the pollution. It is

better to provide intake at upper stream of city so that water
is not contaminated.
• It should not interfere with river traffic, if any.

• It should be located where good foundation conditions are

available.

• It should be so located that it admits relatively pure water

free from mud, sand and pollutants. Means it should be
protected from rapid currents.
Intakes are classified under three categories:

Category 1: Position of intake

Submerged intake
Exposed intake

Category 2:Presence of water in the tower

Wet intake
Dry intake

Category 3:Type of source

River intake
Reservoir intake
Lake intake
Submerged Intake Structures

1.It is the one which is constructed entirely under water.

2.It is commonly used to obtain supply from a lake.

3.Less expensive to construct but difficult to maintain

4.Consists of simple concrete block or rock filled timber crib

supporting the starting end of the withdrawal pipe

5.The withdrawal pipe are generally taken up to the sump well at

shore from where the water is lifted by pumps
6. Intake opening generally covered by screen

7.In case of lakes where silt tends to settle down , intake opening is
generally kept about 2 to 2.5 m above the bottom of the lake and thus to
avoid entry of silt and sediments

8.Cheap and do not obstruct navigation

9. Not easily available for cleaning

Exposed Intake Structures

1.It is in the form of a well or tower constructed near the bank of a river,
or in some cases even away from the river banks.
2.Exposed intakes are more common due to ease in operation.
3. Generally used in large projects and rivers or reservoirs where
there is fluctuation in water level

4.Gate controlled openings at various levels called ports are generally

provided in concrete towers

5. Access to these towers are generally provided for operating the

gates by means of foot bridge.
 Wet Intake Structures
1.It is a type of intake tower in which the water level is practically
the same as the level of the sources of supply.

2.It is sometimes known as Jack well and is most commonly used.

3.Consists of circular shaft filled with water up to the reservoir level

and has a vertical inside shaft which is connected to withdrawal
pipe

4.Withdrawal pipe may lie over the bed of the river or in the form of
tunnels below the river bed
Dry Intake Structures

1. In case of dry intake there is no water in the water tower.

2. Water enters through entry port directly into the conveying pipes.
3. It is simply used for the operation of valves etc.
4. They are useful since water can be withdrawn from any selected level
of the reservoir by opening the port of that level.
River Intake Structures

1.It is a type of intake which may either located sufficiently inside the
river so that demands of water are met with in all the seasons of the
year, or they may be located near the river bank where a sufficient
depth of water is available.

2.Sometimes, an approach channel is constructed and water is led to the

intake tower.

3.If the water level in the river is low, a weir may be constructed across
it to raise the water level and divert it to the intake tower.
4. It is a low head type and is used in run –off river plant

5. The entry of bell mouthed intake is guarded by RCC or steel

grid forming the trash rack

6. The control valve or gate is situated immediately after the

trash rack

7.In silty river silt control devices may be provided

• These are again classified as

1. Twin well type of intake structures

2. Single well type of intake structures

Reservoir Intake Structures

1.When the flow in the river is not guaranteed throughout the

year, a dam is constructed across it to store water in the
reservoir so formed.

2.These are similar to river intake, except that these are located
near the upstream face of the dam where maximum depth of
water is available.

3.Design of intake may vary based on the type of dam.

Lake Intake Structures

1.Generally submerged intakes are preferred for lake intakes.

2.These are constructed as cribs or bell mouths. The cribs are

made of heavy timber frame work which is partly or wholly
filled with rip-rap to protect the intake conduit against
damage by waves etc.

3.The top of the crib is covered with cast iron or mesh grating.
Canal Intake Structures
1.In some cases, source of water supply to a small town may
be an irrigation canal passing nearer or through the town.
Then it will be constructed.
2.Generally it consists of masonry or concrete intake chamber
of rectangular shape, admitting water through a coarse
screen.
3.A fine screen is provided over the bell mouth entry of the
outlet pipe.
4.The intake chamber may be constructed inside the canal
bank if it does not offer any appreciable resistance to normal
flow in the canal.
5.It’s preferred to provide lining to the canal near the intake
Conveyance of water by conduits
Types of conduits: Gravity conduits and
Pressure conduits
Gravity Conduits
▶ Gravity conduits are those in which the water flows under
the action of gravity.
▶ In such a conduit, the hydraulic gradient line will coincide
with
the water surface and will be parallel to the bed of
the
conduit;
▶ This is so, because in such a flow, the water is at
atmospheric pressure and thus there is no pressure term
in Bernoulli's equation
Flow illustration in a gravity
conduit
Gravity Conduits
▶ Since the bed of such a conduit has to follow the gradual
slope of the hydraulic gradient line (which
governs
velocities, etc.),
the the
flow
gravity or grade conduits will, therefore,
have to follow this small gradual slope and cannot follow the
available natural
▶
slope. conduits cannot, therefore, go up and down hills and
These
valleys as desired by the existing topography of the area.
▶ they may be carried along zig-zag paths like roads,
highways, etc. thus requiring enormous length of conduit and
increased cost.
Types of gravity conduits
▶ Canals
▶ Flumes
▶ Aqueducts
Pressure Conduits
▶ Pressure conduits are closed and and as such no air can enter into
them, the water flows under pressure above the atmospheric pressure.
▶ The hydraulic line gradient line for such a conduit can be obtained by
joining the water surface elevations in the piezometers installed in the
conduits at various places. The bed or the invert of the conduit in
flows is thus independent of the grade of the hydraulic gradient line
pressure
really governs the flow
which
▶
velocities
The pressure pipes can, therefore, follow the natural available ground
surface and can freely go up and down hills or can dip beneath valleys
or mountains, sometimes even rising above the hydraulic gradient lines
and thus requiring lesser length of conduit
Pressure Conduits
▶ The pressure aqueducts may be in the form of closed pipes or
closed tunnels called pressure aqueducts or pressure tunnels
designed for the pressure likely to come on them for various other
forces
▶ The aqueduct as well as tunnel sections are generally kept circular
forhydraulic as well as structural
reasons.
▶ Due to their circular shapes, every pressure conduit is generally termed as
a pressure pipe.
▶ When a pressure pipe drops beneath a valley, stream, or some
other depression, it is called sag or a depressed pipe or an
inverted siphon
Pressure Conduits
▶ the pressure pipes prove economical than canals
or flumes because they can generally follow shorter
routes.
▶ However, their biggest advantage is that the water
moving
through such a conduit is not exposed anywhere, and hence,
there are no chances or very less chances of its
polluted.
getting
▶ Pressure pipes are, therefore, invariably and universally used
for water supplies, whereas gravity conduits are
generally adopted for carrying sewage and drainage. Since
the water wasted in percolation, evaporation, etc., in the
canals also gets saved in pressure conduits, they are
preferably used when water is scarce.
Pumps for Lifting Water
▶ In a water supply scheme, pumps are required at one or the
following
stages
▶ To lift the water at the source, when the water cannot flow by gravity
into the mains (such as in case of low levelled surface sources and
▶
ground water
To lift the sources).
water at the treatment plant, if sufficient natural slope is
notavailable, as to cause gravitational flow to the different units of
treatment
plant.
▶ To lift the water after the treatment, so as to force water into the
distributing mains, either directly or through a service reservoir.
▶ When the pressure in the distributing mains has to be increased or
boosted at some intermediate points within the distribution system, so
as to enable the water reach up to the reqd. storey height.
▶ In case of surface sources situated at high elevations in hills or in mountainous
areas, it may be possible to bring the water from the source to the centre of
supply, and then to distribute it among the consumers by mere gravity alone.
▶ But such cases are rare and usually, however, the water has to be lifted
by pumps at one or more points.
▶ Sometimes, the first lift is required just at source, when the water drawn into the

sump well through the intake conduit, is pumped into the pressure pipes,
the water to city or treatment plant. In such cases, the second and a bigger lift
leading
then
is generally required after the "treatment" so as to force the water into
distribution
the system or to store it in elevated
tanks.
▶ Sometimes, no first lift is required at the source, as the water is transported from
the source to the city (or treatment plant) by mere gravity. However, in certain
cases, the first lift may be required at the treatment plant itself.
▶ In case of ground water sources, the water is lifted (first lift) from wells or tube
and collected into a collecting basin, from where the water enters the treatment
wells
plant. And after the treatment, the water is again lifted (second lift) so as to force
it into the distribution system in one single lift.
Pumps for Lifting Water
▶ Even in distribution system, the water may be lifted and boosted at various places,
depending upon the economy and ease in construction.

a. Gravity
flow
system

b. Combined
gravity and
pumping
system –
partial lift is
required
Pumps for Lifting Water

c and d. Pure
pumping
system
Types of Pumps
(1) Roto-dynamic pumps ; and
(2) Displacement pumps.

• A rotodynamic pump has a wheel or a rotating element which rotates the

water in a casing, and thus, imparting energy to the water
• Such a pump may be of two types
(a) Centrifugal pump; and
(b) Axial-flow
A displacement pump works on the principle of mechanically inducing vacuum
•pump.
in a chamber, thereby drawing in a volume of water which is then
mechanically
displaced and forced out of the chamber.
• Such a pump may be of two types
(a) the reciprocating pump; and
(b) the rotary type pump.
• In addition to these two major types of pumps, other types such as air lift
pumps, jet pumps, hydraulic rams, etc. are also used under special conditions.
Factors affecting selection of pump

▶ Capacity of pump
▶ Importance of water supply
scheme
▶
▶
Maintenance cost for locating
Space requirement
pump
▶ No. of units
required
▶ Total lift of water required
▶ Quantity of water to be
pumped
Selection of pumping station