CHENNAI: Buoyed by the success of the pilot implementation of round-the-clock water supply in Valasaravakkam zone, the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (Metro Water) has commenced work to bring Adyar zone under the project. It also has decided to expand the project to Kodambakkam zone.
As part of the expansion, the water manager has already prepared a detailed project report (DPR) to increase the capacity of the Pallipattu water distribution station (WDS) in Adyar zone and to improve the distribution network, a Metro Water official told TNIE.
“The works will commence for Pallipattu WDS after the Assembly elections. Once completed, localities including Adyar and Thiruvanmiyur, will receive water 24x7,” the official added.
A DPR will be prepared to extend the project to improve the WDS at Velachery, Nandanam and Ekkatuthangal in Adyar zone, the official further said. Currently, Adyar zone is being covered by the WDS systems at Pallipattu, Velachery, Nandanam and Ekkatuthangal.
As part of the DPR preparation for the Velachery WDS system, Metro Water held a consultation meeting with the residents’ associations in Velachery on Monday. “During the meeting, we explained the project to the residents and collected their requirements so that we could include them in the DPR,” the official said.
Mentioning that the project will also be extended to Kodambakkam, the official said, “Kodambakkam zone has five WDS systems and following the implementation of the 24X7 water supply project, the number of WDS systems will be reduced to three.”
Meanwhile, during the Metro Water’s consultation meeting on Monday, residents demanded an increase in the distribution capacity of the Velachery WDS to 20 MLD (million litres per day) from the current 12 MLD as they said tail-end areas like AGS Colony and Andal Nagar receive water at a lower pressure.
Geetha Ganesh, secretary of AGS Colony Residents’ Welfare Association in Velachery West, urged Metro Water to replace pipelines that were laid more than three decades ago and ensure equitable pressure across the areas covered under the Velachery WDS.
“Due to frequent flooding, several independent houses in the locality have been converted into apartment buildings. The current quantum of water supply is not sufficient as the number of families has increased. Also, Metro Water should inspect seepage of sewage from storm water drains into the water pipelines,” she added.
The Metro Water official explained that once the 24x7 water supply scheme is implemented, control boxes will be installed on every street of the locality. The control boxes will alert the officials in the event of any building not receiving water due to pipeline issues, the official added.