- 4 June 2020
- Posted by: eyath-news
- Category: All News
The big project of the maintenance of the Aravissos pipeline started today, more than 40 years after its construction. The works concern a part of the pipeline within the Industrial Area of Thessaloniki, which has presented the most failures in the past, with the largest being that of 2018.
The framework agreement, with a budget of 3.4m euros, includes work to strengthen and repair the pipeline to a length of about 600m, where serious oxidation of the reinforcement has been found. Today, on the first day of the operation, the Deputy Minister of Interior (Macedonia and Thrace), Theodoros Karaoglou, the management of EYATH and the professor emeritus of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, George Penelis, who was a static technical consultant for the initial study of 2004 for the pipeline, were present at the site and they have been cooperating with EYATH on the issue since 1986.
“With the work that begins today, Thessaloniki will not risk being thirsty again! A chronic problem, which has preoccupied the city with serious water supply interruptions in the past, is over! I feel very happy that EYATH, a body overseen by the Ministry of Interior (Macedonia and Thrace Sector), is launching a major project. A work of inspiration, life and upgrading the quality of the daily life of the people of Thessaloniki “, pointed out the Deputy Minister of Interior (Macedonia and Thrace), Theodoros Karaoglou.
“The Aravissos pipeline, supplies water to Thessaloniki for 40 years with continuous, 24-hour operation. Unfortunately, to date this project has not been maintained, while in the past it has failed. Five of these failures have caused serious water supply problems in Thessaloniki. The technical works must be maintained, the damages must be repaired, in order to fulfill the purpose they serve in a safe and sustainable way. Our goal is the methodical and careful execution of the project. This will be done with the pipeline in full operation and, in combination with the interconnection project of the Aliakmonas and Aravissos aqueducts, will ensure the uninterrupted water supply of Thessaloniki, through alternative routes in case of failure “, pointed out the CEO of EYATH, Anthimos Amanatidis.
“Today begins a very important project for Thessaloniki, which is technically delicate and complex, but also absolutely necessary. Like all infrastructure projects, the aqueduct requires regular maintenance and repair work, which, due to its uninterrupted operation and the special conditions of its environment, always involves a degree of risk. From the side of EYATH SA All the provisions have been taken at a technical level, so that the annoyance of our consumers is as little as possible, so the work will be done with the pipeline in full operation. With the completion of the works, we will be able to say that we have minimized the chances of a serious problem in the water supply of our city “, added the president of EYATH, Agis M. Papadopoulos.
“This project signals a minimization of the risk that Thessaloniki will be thirsty again. And in fact, as the framework agreement has been made with the possibility of extensions to other critical areas that may be identified, I believe that there will be no problem again “, pointed out the professor emeritus of AUTh, George Penelis.
The project will take a year and will include excavating and revealing the pipeline in sections, initially 600 m long. The excavation will be extended to sections beyond 600 m for inspection. The maintenance and reinforcement of the pipeline will be done by external gluing of carbon fiber plates, after the consolidation of the pipeline has been preceded.
The aqueduct, built between 1975-1978, carries water from the springs of Aravissos to the central pumping station of Dendropotamos and from there to the city’s internal network. It is a reinforced concrete pipeline, with an internal diameter of 1.65 m and a total length of about 56 km (at the site of the operation it is located at a depth greater than 3 m). It currently carries 80,000 – 110,000 sq. m. water per day, 30% -40% of the total daily amount of water needed by the Thessaloniki Urban Complex, as the rest of the supply is provided by Aliakmonas after been processed in the Thessaloniki Water Treatment Plant.
