CHENNAI: Despite opposition to the privatisation of drinking water supply in parts of Tamil Nadu, the state government has decided to study the possibility of implementing a 24x7 water supply project under the public-private partnership (PPP) model in several areas of Tambaram corporation.
The project will be first implemented in Sembakkam, Madambakkam, Chitlapakkam, Thiruneermalai, Perungalathur and Peerkankaranai. Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited (TNUIFSL) has invited consultants to update its Detailed Project Report (DPR), prepared in 2023, by incorporating a PPP framework.
As per TNUIFSL documents, the existing water supply system in Tambaram depends on multiple sources, including the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board and Metro Water. It is characterised by intermittent supply, inadequate per capita availability and low distribution pressure.
Although a DPR was prepared in 2023 to improve the system, it now needs to be revised by incorporating the latest demographic data, development patterns, infrastructure status, water demand projections and updated cost estimates, besides introducing a PPP framework.
The revised DPR will assess and recommend a suitable PPP model covering water treatment, conveyance and distribution from the source, water treatment plants or bulk supply points to consumers through a 24x7 district metered area-based distribution system.
The TNUIFSL document states that several urban local bodies have adopted PPP-based models to improve water supply, with private concessionaires handling project development, operation and maintenance. The development comes a few weeks after the Salem Corporation withdrew its earlier resolution to implement a similar PPP-based drinking water supply project following opposition from councillors.