

CHENNAI: About 1,000 families in Panchali Amman Koil Street in Arumbakkam have been forced to buy water from tanker lorries as the drinking water supplied by Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (Metro Water) has a foul smell for the last few days.
S Manoharan, a resident of Panchali Amman Koil Street, said that sewage got mixed with the drinking water and all the residents are affected by the contaminated water.
“Many of the residents have raised the issue with Metro Water. But the issue has remained unresolved for four days. We have closed the Metro Water inlet to the underground sump and are using borewell water. Metro Water has closed the pipeline as a precaution after complaints,” he said.
A mother of a two-months-old baby lamented she could not even bathe her baby. “I am going to my relative’s house to bathe my baby,” she said.
When contacted, a Metro Water official attached to Anna Nagar zone said that sewage stagnated in a nearby stormwater drain seeped into the drinking water pipeline. The official said that the issue will be rectified immediately.