Poor storage in Vaigai dam has already rung the alarm bells for people of Madurai, who are largely dependent on the reservoir in Theni district for their drinking water needs. In the last few weeks, Corporation authorities have resorted to make water supply once in four days.
However, the gravity of the situation has not improved, thanks to two consecutive monsoon failures. After Southwest monsoon that brought scanty rainfall, Northeast monsoon is no better.
Only the Cauvery combined Drinking Water scheme has been helping the Corporation authorities to make partial supply of water to the 28 added areas of the city. Independent drinking water schemes, with source from Vaigai riverbed, were also supplying water to areas such as Tirupparankundram, Tirunagar, Avaniapuram, Vilangudi and Anaiyur.
Rampant leakage of drinking water owing to frequent bursts in underground pipelines has been adding to the woes of the residents. Not a day passes without a open leak or burst of pipeline on New Natham Road and Alagarkoil Road. A flurry of activities follows: earth mover and semi-skilled workers arrive and try to plug the leakage, only to dig at the same place within the next few days.
“This leads to loss of precious drinking water. We cannot afford to lose water when we are facing shortage,” said S. Kannan secretary of DRO Colony Residents’ Welfare Association. The coloured water supplied often is not liked by the residents who use it only for cleaning and washing purposes.
R. Kanakaraj, a resident of Post Office Colony, said he frequently noticed water gushing out of roads in Managiri and Arasardi. Pipeline bursts also resulted in contamination of water. People are forced to buy water for cooking and drinking, he added.
Complaints of sewage mixing with drinking water is not uncommon. With around 15 lakh population, the city water managers are struggling to even supply 90 litre per person per day, against the mandatory 135 LPCD.
The major augmentation of piped water supply dates back to 1996 when Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board laid the first pipeline from the collection well downstream Vaigai dam upto Madurai. This was basically to draw 900 mcft of the 1,500 mcft reserved for Madurai in the dam.
The Corporation implemented the second Vaigai drinking water scheme in 2009 to draw the rest of 600 mcft. However, even before the schemes could fully cater to the city residents, the city widened, adding another five lakh population in 28 wards. Many borewells sunk during 2013-drought have been revived to tide over the crisis.
Corporation City Engineer A. Mathuram admitted that pipeline bursts were a matter of concern. “Contamination apart, a major problem for engineers is the drop in pressure due to frequent leakage,” he said. This has a cascading effect in water not reaching tail-end regions. The quantum of water leakage was over and above the permissible limit of 15 per cent.
“This is because different types of underground pipelines — main and distribution — were laid during different periods,” he said.
During British era, areas around Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple had cast iron pipes. Then the Corporation chose pipes of different materials owing to paucity of funds.
“It had pre-stressed concrete pipelines under first Vaigai water scheme. These pipes could not withstand pressure and often burst. Besides, they have outlived their lifespan. In the later period, PVC pipes were used that too were not strong enough,” Mr. Mathuram said.
Rs. 430-crore plan
The Corporation prepared a detailed project report to replace the entire pipeline network in the old city of 72 wards at a cost of Rs. 430 crore. Tata Consultancy prepared the report and the project was expected to be approved by the State government under the Union Government's AMRUT project. The project would also revive the 20-odd overhead tanks constructed for equitable quantity of water supply.
On meeting expectations of the city residents for increased quantum of water supply, the Corporation had sought an additional reservation of 800 mcft of water in the Vaigai river.
“In the last 30 years, the paddy cultivating ayacut under Periyar-Vaigai system has shrunk considerably. We have asked the Public Works Department to allocate a portion of the thus-saved water for drinking requirements of the city,” he said.
If the project is approved, the Corporation plans to put up the third Vaigai drinking water pipeline project to draw an additional 61 million litres of water daily. As a long-term plan, the Corporation is also mulling to draw 150 MLD from Mettur dam to meet the city’s requirements till 2033.
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I have often noticed water gushing out of roads in Managiri and Arasardi. Pipeline bursts also results in contamination of water. People are forced to buy water for cooking and drinking.
R. Kanakaraj, Resident of Post Office Colony
Pipeline bursts lead to loss of precious drinking water. We cannot afford to lose water when we are facing shortage
S. Kannan, Secretary, DRO Colony Residents’ Welfare Association
