Contaminated water troubles residents of Kannagi Nagar
CHENNAI: Residents of Kannagi Nagar are grappling with health issues owing to poor quality of drinking water supplied to their homes. For nearly two months now, they have been receiving water that exceeds permissible levels of total dissolved solids (TDS).
According to metro water officials, the contamination is due to rust in the iron pipes through which water is supplied from the sumps.
They added that the TDS levels in the water range from 700-1,000 ppm, while the permissible levels for potable water should be below 500 ppm. Not only is the water unfit for drinking and cooking, but also causes skin irritation and allergies when used for bathing, say residents.
Kannagi Nagar has more than 23,000 families that were resettled in the houses built by the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) and has a population of more than one lakh. When TNIE visited the area on Tuesday, the water from pipes at multiple locations was yellow in colour and salty. The residents also showed multiple cases of skin allergies on their bodies, which they said was due to the water.
A group of residents who had come to meet the councillor regarding the issue said that they have been dealing with water issues since they moved there. “Initially, we used to travel a long distance to get water. Now, the water we get near our homes is unusable. If we cook rice using this water, it goes bad within two hours.
We have been forced to shift to water cans for cooking and drinking which has increased our household expenses. However, we have to continue to use the water for bathing and other purposes causing severe itching and allergies,” said S Lakshmi, a resident.
Sources said the water is supplied to the resettlement site from three sumps, with the largest having a capacity of 11 lakh litres. They added that the main sump has not been cleaned for many years, leading to accumulation of sediment up to 2.5 ft.
Some residents said they were forced to use drinking water cans to bathe their children who are more susceptible to the allergies. “While doctors give us ointments, they say that we would continue to have the problem since we use this water to bathe,” said another resident. She added that a water can costs `30-35 and their family has to buy 10 cans every week.
Metro water officials said that the water quality was affected due to the rust in the iron pipes and work to change them has started. The project has been pending since 2018. “The pipes from the sump to the houses are rusty and in a bad condition. We received concurrence from TNUHDB and the work to replace them started in March. Once it is done, the problem will be solved,” said an official. He also added that the sumps in the locality have been cleaned regularly.
However, according to former AIADMK councillor TC Karuna, the water quality is bad due to maintenance issues at the Nemmeli desalination plant. “The officials have said that to fix the problem, they have to receive parts from another country. I have been complaining to them continuously without any solution in sight,” he said. He also alleged that the TDS level of the water has exceeded 1,000 ppm several times due to which the residents are getting allergies.