Lax water supply burns a hole in pockets of Tamil Nadu's Mapilayoorani residents
THOOTHUKUDI: Flagging poor water supply from the panchayat and the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD), residents of Mapilaiyoorani said they are forced to spend over Rs 36,000 per yer to purchase potable water.
Mapilaiyoorani village panchayat consists of 64 residential areas, with a population of 1.2 lakh, and is one of the biggest panchayats in the state. It is among the seven panchayats merged with the Thoothukudi corporation on December 31, 2024.
While drinking water is supplied by TWAD for few areas, including Barathi Nagar, Ganesapuram, Siluvaipatti, JJ Nagar, Alagapuri, and Arockiyapuram, other areas lack regular water supply. As the groundwater is saline, people are forced to purchase water for bathing and other household needs.
"We buy water for all purposes, including for domestic needs and watering plants," said Anusiya, a resident of Shanmugapuram, who sought an end to this problem.
Muthulakshmi, a housemaid, said she earns Rs 10,000 by working in four houses a month, and has to shell out at least Rs 2,000 for her family of five.
As majority of the people belong to the lower-middle class and poorer backgrounds, they prefer to buy potable water supplied through tankers, instead of relying on packaged drinking water, said a ward member on condition of anonymity.
Speaking to TNIE, Antony Prema, a women’s self-help group leader said regular water supply is the major concern for Mapilaiyoorani residents. As potable water is supplied once every 10 days, the residents have to rely on private tankers and water sellers.
"Currently, people buy potable water for Rs 8 for an 18 litre pot. The cost of a pot increases to Rs 10 or Rs 12 during summer," she said, adding, “Families must shell out over Rs 36,000 per year to purchase water.”
When asked, TWAD officials claimed they pump 20 lakh litres of water, with an estimate of 40 LPCD (litres per capita per day) to 50,000 people. Also, the construction of seven overhead tanks under the Jal Jeevan Scheme to supply 9 lakh litres at an estimate of 55 LPCD is nearing completion. This will help supply water to an additional 16,300 people, the officials said.
A TWAD official noted that they could not design the project for the appropriate population due to surplus migration in recent years.
In the meantime, the Mapilaiyoorani panchayat was annexed with the Thoothukudi corporation, where the water tax is Rs 495 for three months to get unlimited supply of Thamirabarani water every day.
Locals called for the Thoothukudi corporation officials to prioritise addressing water issues at Mapilaiyoorani to avoid trouble for the residents in summer.