The recovery of the two most damaged kilometers of the main pipeline from the Caonao dam ensures the direct entry of water to the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes sugar mill, an industry that will process all of Camagüey’s sugar in the upcoming harvest
Camagüey, Cuba, Dec 9th.- The rehabilitation of the Caonao dam pumping station and two kilometers of its pipeline, which supplies water to the populations of the municipalities of Florida and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, located west of this city, is advancing in its final stages, in which the corresponding tests of the pipeline and electrical equipment are being carried out.
In the case of the section of the pipeline, the one most affected by the great pressures it receives, it was replaced by high-density polyethylene, a more resistant material with a guarantee of durability, whose work was carried out by workers from the Base Business Unit of the Hydraulic Works Maintenance and Rehabilitation Company.
Since last Thursday, tests began, first in the pipeline, where they detected a fault, and after fixing it they tested again with water and so far everything is going well.
Several groups from the hydraulic sector are dedicated to the identification and elimination of leaks in the entire network, 27 kilometers in total.
Yaima Serrano Meléndez, delegate of the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INRH) in Camagüey, evaluated this Saturday the work carried out in the chlorine treatment plant in the Florida district, another of the sites to which they have paid attention as part of the works, and told the Cuban News Agency that specialists verified the increase in pressures, which indicates the adequate transport of water through the pipeline.
Regarding the equipment, engine number two was checked after maintenance, it started and worked well, while electrical repair work continues on engine number three.
Serrano Meléndez explained that the third motor, used, from the province of Matanzas, was assigned to the territory of Agramonte and has a pumping capacity of 300 liters per second.
In unison, forces from the Water Company are working on the comprehensive rehabilitation of the Caonao reservoir station, limited by the difficulties of the equipment and valves, due to the degree of exploitation, which brought with it frequent breakages.
In the execution of the repair and alignment tasks of the electric motors, the support of the Argentine Sugar Company has been meritorious, based on the possibilities they have of technical personnel and equipment in their workshop, highlighted Betsy Rodríguez Cardoso, Investment Director of the INRH Delegation here.
They also have the collaboration of welders from the Industrial Services Company, ZETI, of that same branch, she highlighted.
On the other hand, the Non-Agricultural Cooperative LADETEC helps with the electrical and automatic installation of the boards to protect them and to provide more information during the water operation process.
Meanwhile, the Electric Power and Services Company, GEYSEL, undertakes the maintenance of the two systems of this type that ensure the energy and the operation of the pumping in the event of disruptions to the electrical service.
For more than a month, Hydraulic Resources and entities of the region have acted comprehensively in the completion of the works, which include improvements to the civil structure of the Caonao dam, in order to achieve a better delivery of water to the station, explained Rodríguez Cardoso.
For example, he added, a valve for the inlet of the liquid from the dam to the station was changed, among other actions.
In response to the situation with the supply to the aforementioned municipalities of Camagüey (both with a population of more than 50 thousand inhabitants), the INRH prioritizes the execution of improvement tasks and allocates budget and resources for comprehensive maintenance, a reaffirmation of the importance that the Cuban State grants to this branch, which is decisive in the social and economic sphere.
They have also received permanent support from the highest authorities of the Communist Party of Cuba and the Government in the province and the territories involved, said the director.
The recovery of the two most damaged kilometers of the main pipeline from the Caonao dam ensures the direct entry of water to the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes sugar mill, an industry that will process all the sugar (23,500 tons) from Camagüey, in the upcoming harvest.
The reservoir, located in Florida, is at one hundred percent of its maximum storage capacity, which is 27 million cubic meters.
(ACN)