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Chapter:5

Intakes

Er. Mahadev Singh Saud

Chapter 5: Intake
8/3/2025 Er. Mahadev Singh Saud By: Er. Mahadev Singh Saud 8/3/2025 Er. Mahadev Singh Saud 2
Assistant Professor

INTAKES
•Intake is a device or structure placed in a water source to
Introduction permit the withdrawal of water from the source, and
• In any water supply project the first step is discharge it into an intake conduit through which it flows to
to select the source of water from which the treatment plant; or discharge it into an intake well front
where it is pumped to the treatment plant.
water is drawn. The device installed for •In general an intake consists of : Intake conduit & Structure
the purpose of drawing water from the (i) an intake conduit with a screen at its inlet end and a

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source of water are called Intakes. valve to control the flow of water; and
Chapter 5: Intake

• The basic function of intake structure is to (ii) a structure permitting the withdrawal of water from the
help in safely withdrawing water from the source and housing and supporting the intake conduit,
source and then to discharge this water in to valve operating devices, pumps etc. The structure may be
the withdrawal conduit, through which it of stone masonry, brick masonry, R.C.C. or concrete
blocks.
reaches the water treatment plant.
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• It is constructed at the entrance of the

withdrawal conduit and thereby protecting it from
being damaged/clogged by ice, debris.
• Some times from reservoirs where gravity
flow is possible, water is directly transmitted to
the treatment through intake structure.
• If gravity flow is not possible, water entering
intake structure is lifted by pumps and taken
to the treatment plant.

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Selecting Location for Intake Structure Selecting Location for Intake Structure
1. Site should be near the treatment plant to reduce 6. Intake must be located at a place from where it can draw
conveyance cost. water even during the driest period (worst condition) of
2. Located in that place where quality of water is good the year. i.e. located in deep water
& upstream of the sewage disposal point 7. The intake site should remain easily accessible during
3. Intake must be located in the purer zone of the source floods and should not get flooded.
so that the best quality water is withdrawn from source 8. In meandering rivers, the intakes should not be located on
to reduce the load on the treatment plant. curves or atleast on sharp curves.
4. Intake must never be located near the vicinity of waste 9. Located in such a place which less affected by scouring,
water disposal point. silting and storms and free from heavy attack of water
5. Intake must never be located near the navigation currents.
channels so as to reduce chances of pollution due to 10. The site of the intake should be well connected by good
waste discharge from ships. approach road
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Safe and stable [Link] currents, landslide etc.
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12. The intake structure should be such that there is

sufficient scope for future additions and expansion.
i.e. it would be permit greater withdrawal of water
if required in future

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Intake Types of intakes

As per intake As per water
top under or required in As per type of 1. According to position of Intake
above water housing sources
level structure
A. Submerged Intake : When intake is constructed
1. Submerged 1. Dry intake 1. River intake
entirely under the water. Eg. Lake intake
intake 2. Wet intake 2. Reservoir intake
3. Lake B. Exposed Intake: It is in the form of a well or
2. Exposed tower constructed near the bank of a river or away
intake 4. Canal intake
5. Spring Intake from bank of water bodies. Eg. Intake in river

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Types of intakes
Exposed Intake
• The Exposed intakes is in the form of well or
tower constructed near the bank of river or in
some cases even away from the bank of river.
They are more common due to ease in
operation and maintenance

Fig: Submerged Intake

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Types of intakes
2. According to presence of water in the tower
A. Wet Intake: It is an intake tower in which water level is
practically remain as same as the level of the sources of
supply and conveyed indirectly passed into the convey pipe.
There are operation valves only in the inner shell. It is also
called Jack Well.
B. Dry Intake: It is an intake tower in which no water remains
in water tower and water through entry port is directly passed
into the convey pipes but operation valves are used.

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Types of intakes
Wet Intake Towers
• It consist of a concrete circular shell filled with water up
to the reservoir level.
• Openings are made in to the outer concrete shell as
well as, in to the inside shaft.
• Gates are usually placed on the shaft, so as to control the
flow of water in to the shaft and the withdrawal conduit.
• The water coming out of the withdrawal pipe may be
taken to pump house for lift (if treatment plant is at
high elevation) or may be directly taken to treatment
plant (at lower elevation).
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Fig :Wet River Intake

Dry Intake Towers

• The water is directly drawn in to the withdrawal
conduit through the gated entry ports.
• It has no water inside the tower if its gates are closed.
• When the entry ports are closed, a dry intake tower
will be subjected to additional buoyant forces.
• Hence it must be of heavier construction than wet
intake tower.
• They are useful since water can be withdrawn from any
selected level of the reservoir by opening the port at
that level.

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Types of intakes
3. According to type of source:
a. River Intake
b. Canal Intake
c. Reservoir Intake
d. Lake Intake
e. Spring Intake

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Types of intakes Twin Well Type Intakes

• They are constructed on almost all types of
River Intake rivers, where the river water hugs the river
• They are generally constructed for bank.
withdrawing water from almost all rivers.
• A typical river intake structure consists of 3
components:
They can be classified in to two types
(a) An inlet well
(1) Twin well type of intake structure
(b) An inlet pipe (intake pipe)
(2) Single well type of intake structure
(c) A jack well
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Single Well Type Intakes

• No inlet well & inlet pipe in this type of river intake.
• Opening or ports fitted with bar screens are
provided in the jack well itself.
• The silt entering the jack well will partly settle down in
the bottom silt zone of jack well or may be lifted up
with the pumped water since pumps can easily lift
sedimented water.
• The jack well can be periodically cleaned manually, by
stopping the water entry in to the well.
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Single Well Type Intakes

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Chapter 5: Intake

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Canal Intakes
• A nearby Irrigation Canal can be used as the
source of water supply purpose.
• The intake well is generally located in the
bank of the Canal.
• Since water level is more or less constant there

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Chapter 5: Intake

is no need of providing inlets at different

depth.
• It essentially consist of concrete or masonry
intake chamber or well.

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Reservoir Intake
• When the flow in the river is not guaranteed
throughout the year, a dam is constructed across the
river to store the water in the reservoir so formed.
• Reservoir Intakes essentially consists of an Intake
tower constructed on the slope of Dam at such a place
where Intake can draw water in sufficient quantity
even in the driest period.
• Intake pipes are fixed at different levels, so as to draw
water near the surface in all variations of water levels.

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Lake Intake
• These Intakes are constructed in the bed of lake below
the low water level so as to draw water even in dry
season.
• It mainly consist of a pipe laid in the bed of the lake.
One end of the pipe which is in middle of the lake is
fitted with bell mouth opening covered with a mesh
and protected timber or concrete crib.
• The water enters in the pipe through the bell mouth
opening and flows under gravity to the bank where it
is collected in a sump well and then pumped to the
treatment plant for necessary treatment.

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Well Design and Construction Spring Intake

•An intake constructed at the spring sources to withdraw
water is called spring intake.
•It id generally constructed in small rural water supply
scheme in Nepal.
•It should be impervious and provided around the source to
prevent the source contamination and physical damage by
runoff water.
•Simply one or more spring sources should be joined for
greater discharge and all sources should be protected from
animals, exposure, runoff and bathing etc.
• protection work is done by fencing, digging, catch basin,
bioengineering works etc.
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Design Consideration of Intake

Components
Typical •Collection chamber/box:
Component
Design Value • Captures spring water.
• Built using RCC, stone masonry or
Collection Box concrete.
2–5 m³ • Must prevent air entry and allow
Volume
overflow.
•Drainage trench/filter:
Flow Velocity • For seepage or dispersed springs.
0.6–1.2 m/s
(in pipes) • Lined with gravel and geotextile.
•Intake pipe/outlet:
Gravel filter • Use HDPE or GI pipes (Dia: 25–100
0.3–0.5 m mm depending on flow).
depth
•Ventilation/Overflow:
1.5× max • Prevents air lock and overpressure.
Inlet pipe •Sediment trap/settling basin:
spring
diameter • To remove grit before main pipeline.
discharge
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Design Consideration of Intake

Factor Design Value/Note
Approach velocity < 0.3 m/s
Submergence depth >1.5× pipe diameter
Intake pipe velocity 1–2 m/s
Screen opening size 5–10 mm (coarse), 2–5 mm (fine)
Location from bank 10–15 m (river), depends on depth in lakes

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