Deccan Chronicle 02.11.2009

Chennai, Nov. 1: Access to safe drinking water is the right of every citizen in the country and Chennai metropolitan water supply and sewerage board (CMWSSB) ensures that the water supplied in the city is potable and safe, said Mr Shiv Das Meena, managing director of CMWSSB. He shared with Deccan Chronicle the various measures CMWSSB is taking to make sure of the quality of the water supplied.

According to him, most up-to-date test results have proved that the water supplied by CMWSSB is completely clean and safe to consume. “It is mostly unhygienic surroundings and foodstuff sold in the open that help the spread of communicable diseases. Considering the onset of monsoon, we have prepared to make sure that Chennaiites are not affected by water contamination. During the period, we would increase the number of samples tested and have taken measures to provide water through tankers to places severely affected by flood. However, our message to the city residents is to boil and filter water before consuming during the monsoon period. In case of any complaints, residents can also dial 28454040 or submit it online at chennaimetrowater.tn.nic.in,” Mr Meena said.

“CMWSSB’s quality assurance wing, through processes like sampling, testing and reporting, through a team of trained personnel in the laboratory and on the field make sure of water quality before it is supplied. Per day we collect 160 samples from all over the city for testing out of which bacteriological testing alone is done for 60 samples. Besides this, each Metrowater depot tests 10 samples everyday, while deputy engineers individually do testing,” Mr Meena added. According to him, all higher officials carry with them water sampling kit which can analyse water samples in just a minute.

“During the outbreak of some communicable diseases, based on the data collected from Tondiarpet Communicable Diseases Hospital, we collect and analyse water from the areas from where cases have been reported. Since certain communicable diseases like acute diarrhoeal disease has the possibility of worsening to cholera, we keep high alert in these localities where department engineers and analysts would conduct frequent monitoring,” Mr Meena pointed out.