The Hindu        02.03.2011

Coimbatore looks up to water supply on wheels

Long wait: Private water tankers in Coimbatore are doing good business. – PHOTO: S.SIVA SARAVANAN

As the mercury soars and the water level dips, the Coimbatore Corporation and the city's residents are turning to water tankers to bail them out.

The dependence on water tankers reflected in the Corporation's Council resolution, passed on February 28. The resolution was about fixing rental charges for water transported through private water tankers.

The civic body said it would pay Rs. 690 for 9,000 litres of water transported and Rs. 450 for 3,500 litres.

Corporation sources said that in addition to the eight tankers they had, they would engage 12 private tankers – 10 of 9,000 litres each and two of 3,500 litres each.

The 20 lorries would make 100 trips a day, supplying water to areas the Corporation identified. The sources said the civic body would use the tankers to supply water to slums, areas where water pressure was low, recently approved layouts, etc.

They added that the tankers would, however, not ply to areas that were fed by Siruvani water. The tankers would supply water to wards that come under the East Zone, North Zone and a part of South Zone, which were serviced by Pilloor water.

The lorries would draw water from Puliakulam over-head tank, Varadarajapuram over-head tank, main service reservoir in Ganapathy or the high-level reservoir at Bharathi Park.

Private tanker owners, who had entered into agreement with the civic body, said they would supply water to areas wherever asked to do so by the Corporation and also to those who paid money to the civic body for water.

The city's residents and those who were conducting functions could pay money to the Corporation to buy water. This water would be supplied to those only within the city limits, though.

The tanker owners also supplied bore well water. This was independent of the Corporation operation.

A tanker owner said his 10 lorries made three or four trips a day. The lorries drew water from wells in Thadagam, Perur, Ukkadam, Kanuvai and other areas outside the city. For a lorry load (10,500 litres), the lorry owners paid anywhere between Rs. 140 and Rs. 250 depending on the water quality and sold the water for around Rs. 600.

Farther the delivery point, higher the cost, the owner explained and added for every km he would charge Rs. 50 more.

The borewell water was being supplied to houses, lodges, hotels, factories and other commercial establishments.

Another lorry owner said he was supplying water to construction companies. They used the water for curing. This was a major part of his business.

A hotelier said he bought two tankers of water (24,000 litres) every day to meet his demands. There was no ground water in the city to meet his requirements. He used the water for washing and cleaning.