Intakes

• It is the structures used for admitting water from the surface sources.
• Intakes are structures (masonry/concrete) which essentially consists
of opening, through which the raw water from river, canal or
reservoir enters and carried to the sump well by means of conducts
water from the sump well is pumped through the rising mains to the
treatment plant.

• Intake works are constructed to provide relatively clean water, free

of pollution, sand and objectionable floating matter.

• The main function of the intakes works is

– To collect water from the surface source and

– Discharge of water collected, by means of pumps or directly to
the treatment water.
 The following points should be kept in
mind while selecting a site for intake
works
(Factors governing selection of location):
• Best quality of water should be available so that water is purified
economically in less time.
• At site there should not be heavy current of water, which may
damage the intake structure.
• Site should be such that the intake can draw sufficient quantity of
water even in the worst condition, when the discharge of the
source is minimum.
• The site of the work should be easily approachable without any
obstruction
• There should be sufficient scope for future needs. At the site
sufficient quantity should be available for the future
expansion of the water-works.
• The site should not be located in navigation channels.
• As far as possible the intake should be near the treatment
plant so that conveyance cost is reduced from source to the
water works.
• As far as possible the intake should not be located in the
vicinity of the point of sewage disposal for avoiding the
pollution of water.
• The intake should be located where good foundation
conditions are present and possibility of scouring is
minimum.
 Types of Intake structures:

INTAKES

Submerged Exposed Wet Dry

Intake Intake Intake Intake

River Reservoir Lake Canal

Intake Intake Intake Intake
Type-1 –Intake(According to the
position of intake)
1) Submerged Intake:
– Constructed entirely under water.
– Commonly used to obtain supply from lake.
– Withdrawal pipe is taken up to sump at shore, and lifted by pump
there.
– Intake opening covered by screen.
– Elevated at 2- 2.5m above from bottom of lake to avoid entry of silt/
sediments.
– Widely used for small water supply projects drawing water from
streams or lakes having a little change in water level through out year.
– Limitation : Not easily accessible for cleaning and repairing
Submerged Intake
(2) Exposed Intake:
– Constructed near bank of
river, in some cases away
from river bank.
– Constructed in form of Well/
tower.
– Used for reservoir, river or
lakes.
– More Common due to ease
in its operation.
– Called gate-house of valve-
tower in case of reservoir.
Type-2 intake(According to the
presence of water)
(A)Wet Intake:
(B) Dry Intake:

(1) Water level of intake tower (1) Water tower remains dry i.e.
is the same as water level of not any contact with water.
source of supply.
(1) Water enters from entry port
(2) It is also called ‘Jack well’. directly to conveying pipes.

(3) Used for operation of

valves, storage of pump.
 A) Wet Intakes

• Constructed inside river at suitable place.

• A concrete circular shell filled with water upto water level inside the
river.

• Water enters through openings provided on outer circular shell, as

well as on inside shell.

• Water is taken to the bank of the river through the withdrawal

conduit in the sump well from where it is pumped to water treatment
plant.
 b) Dry Intake tower

• In wet intake tower, water enters first in the outer shell then it enters in the
inner shell.

• In dry intake, water enters directly withdrawal conduit.

 Type-3 intake (According to the
type of source)
(1) Lake Intakes
• Submerged intake, so as to draw in dry season also.
• A pipe laid in the bed of the lake.
• One end is in the middle of the lake & is fitted with bell – mouth
opening covered with a mesh & protected by concrete/timber crib.
• Water enters in the pipe through bell-mouth opening & flows under
gravity to the bank where it is collected in a sump well & then
pumped to Treatment Plant.
• More than one pipe can be laid, as per requirement.
• Provide no obstruction to navigation.
• Entry of floating material minimized.
• intakes 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.
• The top of the crib is covered with cast iron or
mesh grating.
 (2) River Intakes
• A circular masonry tower (4-7m diameter) constructed along
bank of the river, where required quantity of water can be drawn
even in dry season.
• Water enters in the lower portion of the intake (i.e. sump well)
from (several entry ports) penstocks.
• No. of penstock openings are provided in intake to admit water at
different levels , to deal with seasonal fluctuations.
• Penstocks are fitted with screens to prevent entry of floating
solids.
• Opening & closing of penstock valves is done with wheels
provided at pump house floor (upper part of well).
• Has to be constructed on strong footing.
• It located sufficiently inside the river so that demands of
water are met with in all seasons of the year, or may be
located near the river bank where a sufficient depth of water
is available.
• 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.
• The intake tower permits entry of water through several
entry ports located at various levels to cope with fluctuations
in the water level during different seasons.
• These entry ports are sometimes known as penstocks and
are provided with suitably designed screens to exclude
debris and floating material from entry.
• The entry ports contain valves which can be operated from
the upper part of the well.
• The lowest entry is placed below the low water level of the
river so that water is available in the jack well during summer
season also when river carries minimum discharge.
• The intake well should be founded on sound footing, to a
depth deeper than the scour depth.
• The upper part of the well serves as the pump house. The
suction pipe admits water through a screen.
 (3) Reservoir Intake
• Has to cope with large seasonal variation, leading to requirement of
dam/weir.
• An intake tower constructed on the slope of the dam (wherever
maximum depth of water is available).
• Intake pipes are fixed at different level to withdraw water at all
variations of water level.
• All inlet pipes are connected to one vertical pipe inside the intake
well.
• Screens are provided at mouth of all intake pipes to prevent entry of
floating matter.
• Water entering the vertical pipes is taken to other side of the dam by
means of an outlet pipe.
• At the top of intake tower, sluice valves are provided to control flow
of water.

• Valve tower is connected to the top of the dam by means of foot-

bridge gang- way.

• For earthen dams, intake towers are separately constructed.

• For RCC masonry dams, intake tower is constructed inside the dam
it self.
 (4) Canal Intake
• Source of water supply to a small town may be an irrigation canal passing
near the town.
• No need to provide multiple ports, as water level in canal remains constant.
• A pipe placed in a brick masonry/concrete chamber constructed partly in
the canal bank.
• On one side of chamber, opening is provided with coarse screen for
entrance of water.
• A bell mouth fitted with a hemispherical fine screen is provided at the
mouth of the pipe.
• The bell mouth entry is located below the expected low water level in the
canal.
• Outlet pipe carries water to the other side of the canal bank from where it is
taken to treatment plant.
• One sluice valve operated by a wheel from top of masonry chamber is
provided to control flow of water in the pipe.
• The intake chamber is so constructed that it does not offer any appreciable
resistance to normal flow in canal. Otherwise, the intake chamber is located
inside the canal bank.
Points considered during designing of Intakes

1. Can resist external force caused by heavy waves and currents,

impacts of floating and submerged body (sufficient safety
factor)
2. Have self weight, so that it may not float by up thrust of water
and washed away by current that leads to massive structure.
3. Should have multiple inlets to provide for in low water level.
4. Screens should be at inlets and at sides to stop large or
medium objects
5. Size of screen should be such that the required amount water
can enter.
6. Position of inlets should be such that they can admit water
in all seasons
7. In wide rivers, when in low flow condition, flow is
confined to the middle portion.
8. If constructed in navigation channel, should be well
protected.
9. The foundation should be deep for safety and protection.
10. Sufficient openings at different levels in different
directions to avoid eddies formation.