CORROCOAT - PROTECTING THE WORLD’S LARGEST IRRIGATION AND PUMPING SCHEME

On 20th March 2007 an historic water supply project went live in Gujarat State, India – with the majority of its components protected against corrosion using coatings manufactured by Leeds-based anti-corrosion specialists Corrocoat.

Completion of the Sardar Sarova Narmada Nigam project represents a feat of engineering genius and a real landmark in the history of the state of Gujarat. It provides irrigation, drinking water, power generation and flood control, and will effectively enrich lives in the area.

A combination of Corrocoat’s high performance glass flake filled coatings has been used to protect pumps, pipework and ancillary equipment used within the project. In addition, the company’s innovative Fluiglide friction reducing system has been applied to internally wetted areas of the pumps to ensure the systems continue operate at optimum efficiency over the years.

The products were applied by Corrocoat’s Indian partner, Kirloskar Brothers Ltd (KBL), India’s largest manufacturer and exporter of pumps, who were also responsible for the manufacture and installation of the entire pumping system.

At over 100kms in length, the total project (including three power stations) now lifts 2.5 million litres of water per minute to provide irrigation water to the drought-affected areas of the Saurashtra region, as well as furnishing good quality drinking water for millions of people living in the region. The project also irrigates1.8 million hectares of land.

“The original order was awarded on the basis of our consistent track record for similar but smaller scale works,” states Corrocoat’s Managing Director, Graham Greenwood-Sole. “This is the world’s largest irrigation and pumping scheme, and Corrocoat is proud of its involvement with the project.”