The Hindu 29.04.2013
Tanks on the streets, 3,000 litres full
More such Metrowater facilities are being added and existing ones being repaired.
As part of its measures to meet the water demand this
summer, Chennai Metrowater is setting up street tanks for which water
from borewells is being sourced, on a pilot basis.
The
water agency is implementing such measures as part of a contingency
plan to cope with water shortage. Water release from the Veeranam tank,
another vital source that augments city supply, was recently suspended
due to dipping water level. As the storage now stands at 67 million
cubic feet against the tank’s capacity of 1,465 mcft, less than 10 cubic
feet per second is being released.
With Krishna
water also suspended so that repair work can be carried out in the canal
that transports water to the city, the reservoirs are fast drying up.
Areas
across the city are dotted with new tanks that are supplied with water
from borewells fitted with suction pipes and motors. These structures
replace the hand pumps in these localities. The water agency is in the
process of installing tanks sourcing water from borewells in 75
locations across 15 zones.
Instead of using the hand
pumps, residents can fetch water from the tanks that would be filled
with water twice a day with submersible pumps. The street tanks each
have a capacity of 3,000 litres. The water agency has currently
identified five locations falling under every area office.
Though
several of the added areas have similar means to supply groundwater,
many such facilities in the city were not being used. The water agency
is now repairing and also adding new structures to cater to the water
needs of the residents. In Ambattur, structures to provide water are
being installed at places, including Venkatapuram and Kallikuppam.
Sources
said that the spots were selected based on the groundwater yield and
demand for water in the area. Locations where piped supply is not
sufficient were also selected for such street supply.
Metrowater
is also in the process of repairing 1,100 hand pumps and providing an
additional 2,039 hand pumps to overcome the shortage during summer.
