The Hindu 20.06.2013
Efforts on to ease drinking water problem in Virudhunagar
The Virudhunagar Municipality has been making all-out efforts to ease the problem of drinking water shortage in the town.
The town receives 25 lakh litres of water a day from Tamiraparani Combined Drinking Water Scheme, 15 lakh litres from Anaikuttam Drinking Water Scheme, and five lakh litres from Ondipuli Drinking Water Scheme to supply water to its residents once a week. Earlier, the town used to get 52 lakh litres of water.
If the additional seven lakh litres of water is made available, the supply could be made once in five days.
Municipal Chairperson Shanthi Mariappan said the municipality had undertaken desilting and deepening of two unused open wells at Anaikuttam dam at a cost Rs.25 lakh from the Rs.31 lakh allocated for drought relief works.
The remaining fund would be used for replacing 11 pump sets.
This exercise was expected to yield 1.5 lakh additional litres of water, she noted.
The Tamil Nadu Water and Drainage (TWAD) Board has to supply 38.70 lakh litres of water to Virudhunagar per day from the Tamiraparani.
Of course, the Tamiraparani scheme also meets the requirements of Kariapatti, Mallankinaru and areas coming under Aruppukottai Municipality in this district.
It covers 239 rural habitations in Tuticorin before coming to 67 rural habitations in Virudhunagar.
Mrs. Shanthi Mariappan said the town had 16 overhead tanks to store 34.10 lakh litres of water.
Now, a consultant had been roped in to explore methods to tackle the water crisis.
In its interim report, the consultancy agency has suggested construction of four overhead tanks with a capacity of 15 lakh litres, 10 lakh litres, 7.5 lakh litres and five lakh litres at four different points.
It has also suggested laying of distribution pipeline for a distance of 132 km replacing poly vinyl chloride (PVC) pipes with ductile iron pipes covered by high density polyethylene pipes. The entire work would involve an expenditure of Rs.21.77 crore.
Municipality ropes in a consultant to explore methods to tackle water crisis.
