TIRUCHY: The corporation's round-the-clock water supply project, for which it has made an initial allocation of Rs 6 crore and is expected to be implemented across the city by 2024, has raised scepticism from certain residents and environmentalists.
Questions have been raised about whether the project would lead to groundwater exploitation and how the corporation would ensure a continuous supply of water. Senior corporation officials have said that their team has already started taking efforts to ensure the project becomes a success.
"Works are already going on to construct new collector wells in Kambarasampettai and Ayyaramanpadithurai. These wells would ensure sufficient water supply to the city. Since we are implementing the project stage-by-stage, it would help us assess the success at various levels. For instance, in the initial phase, we are providing a 24/7 drinking water supply only to wards 51 to 57.
We would proceed to more wards or second phase only after assessing the success in the initial phase," a senior corporation engineer said. Several environmentalists, however, have opined that the corporation has to implement more groundwater recharging steps along with this project. "The corporation is currently conducting the restoration of some ponds and water bodies. But apart from this, it has to ensure that rainwater harvesting systems in buildings remain functional.
Otherwise, the round-the-clock water supply project would result in the exploitation of our groundwater resources," said Priya Aravind, an environmentalist and resident. Senior corporation officials have dismissed these concerns and explained how this project would stop groundwater exploitation. "We had established groundwater recharging structures in ponds like Ellkudi, Kokkarsam Pettai, Nochivayal Pudhur, Manja Thidal, Alathur and KK Kottai Karai Kulam.
Similarly, about 2,00,312 residential buildings and 17,822 commercial buildings in the city now have rainwater harvesting systems. Usually, we would conduct inspections before the monsoons and serve notices to those who fail to properly maintain their rainwater harvesting systems. Apart from these, the project is crucial to stop groundwater exploitation.
For instance, during the summer, apartments and commercial complexes collect water from private players to meet their requirements. Our project would be a major challenge for such operators, as we would provide 24/7 drinking water to commercial establishments and residents. They would have to pay us based on their usage. Therefore, this project would stop groundwater exploitation by private operators," a senior corporation official explained.