The fourth drinking water pipeline, aimed at providing water supply to more areas of Thoothukudi Corporation, is expected to be commissioned soon. The project, taken up at a cost of ₹282.44 crore, will providedrinking water to more than three lakh people.
Trial run has been taken up in the line after pumping over 50 million litres of water from the main pumping point at Kaliyavur, which is 34 km away from Thoothukudi, according to Corporation Commissioner K. Rajamani. As per the 2011 census, Thoothukudi Corporation had a population of 3.72 lakh people, but now it has touched four lakh.
The project is primarily funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency and partially by Integrated Urban Development Mission.
The project was designed to draw water from Maruthur dam. The water treatment plant-cum-purifying plant at Vallanadu near the dam has been constructed with a capacity to store 84 million litres of water per day at a cost of ₹55 crore.
“Per capita consumption of water in the existing core area of the corporation is 70 to 80 litres. After commissioning of this project, it is expected to increase to 135 litres per day. Residents of the 60-ward corporation area, including five village panchayats which have been added, will get potable water,” he said.
Besides, the floating population will also benefit from this project. Pipes have been laid to a distance of 90 km of the total length of 423 km.
Other infrastructure facilities include 22 overhead tanks, intake well, main pumping system for raw water, clear water gravity main, clear water feeder main and distribution network. Of the 22 overhead tanks, 18 had been completed and construction of other four tanks was at different stages, he said.
Mr. Rajamani said the Corporation would introduce water meter in every house to prevent excess drawal. At present, water is supplied to residents once in six days.
This project would benefit peopleif water was sufficiently available in the Tamirabharani. For this to happen, industrial units should set up their own desalination plants instead of looking at the river for their water needs. Moreover, illegal drawing of groundwater should also be checked, residents felt.
