CHENNAI: Thousand of families living in the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) tenements in Kannagi Nagar, Ezhil Nagar and Tsunami Quarters near Sholinganallur have raised concerns over the continued water shortages, forcing residents to spend hours every day waiting to collect water for their basic household needs.
These resettlement sites, which house more than 20,000 families, depend entirely on water supplied by the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB), as groundwater in the area is saline and unfit for drinking. Water is first stored in common sumps and then distributed to households through overhead tanks. But, for almost four months now, the water supply in the area remains inadequate due to low pressure, said the residents and added that it has disrupted their daily routine.
“Earlier, the common sump would fill within four to five hours, but it now takes nearly eight to nine hours, causing delays in water distribution,” said Murugan, a resident of Ezhil Nagar. He also pointed out that the ageing infrastructure is a major reason behind the problem. “The pumps and pipelines are nearly 10 years old, resulting in low water pressure across several blocks in the resettlement sites.
Priya, a resident of Block 3 in Kannagi Nagar, said, “The lids of the overhead tanks are often left open, which contaminates the water and makes it dirty and unusable.” She added, “We have children at home. Due to the low water pressure and inadequate water supply, we are often forced to depend on our neighbours or, worse, fetch water from roadside taps.”
Residents told TNIE that metro water officials often inform them that around 35 to 40 lakh litres of water and 10 lakh litres of drinking water are supplied daily to Kannagi Nagar and Ezhil Nagar respectively. But, they expressed doubts on whether the mentioned quantity is actually reaching the households. “If such a quantity of water is supplied, we would not be facing severe shortages every day,” Murugan said.
Before elections, the TNUHDB allocated Rs 8 crore to construct an additional sump at Ezhil Nagar to improve water distribution, but the works are yet to begin, residents said.
When contacted, a senior CMWSSB official said, “As a proactive measure, inspections were carried out by excavating three trial pits along the flow line from the water distribution station to assess pipeline conditions and ensure flow continuity,” the official said.
The official added that TNUHDB had been advised to install regulating valves within the resettlement areas to maintain uniform pressure and ensure water reaches every tenement blocks located at the tail end of the distribution network.
Judith Blessy
