It is official now. The Corporation of Madurai announced on Tuesday that from October 14, residents of old Madurai would get potable water only once in four days.
Depleting storage in the Vaigai dam, the primary source for drinking water for Madurai city, and absence of rain have forced the officials to stagger supply.
“Only if we resort to this kind of rationing will the distribution prolong for a month”, engineers said and added that against its full capacity of 71 feet, the water level stood at 23.88 feet in Vaigai dam.
With the objective of supplying protected water to all residents, the Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation (CPHEEO) had designed projects which are implemented through agencies like TWAD (Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board) and Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board.
British regime
The water supply distribution network for the old city (originally 60 wards which were enhanced to 72 wards) was established in 1924 for a population of one lakh with Vaigai as the main source.
Since then, there has not been any tangible development, when the city’s recorded population had crossed the two-million mark and the number of wards had increased to 100.
Today, a little over one fourth of the population receives 115 mld of treated water, leaving the rest in the extended urban local bodies with meagre supply.
“Not designed for
urban norms”
According to engineers, the water distribution system was not designed for urban norms.
Three municipalities and three town panchayats have source to supply 40 Lpcd (litres per capita per day) and the remaining 11 village panchayats for 30 Lpcd.
According to officials, an average of 40 Lpcd of potable water and 30 Lpcd of well water was supplied to newly added local body areas.
Presently, the city received 115 mld of water from Vaigai dam source, 20 mld from Vaigai riverbed source, 18 mld from Combined Water Supply Scheme and 10 mld of water from 2128 bore wells.
Thus, residents in old city area received 115 Lpcd of water while those in newly added areas got 70 Lpcd, they added.
From the 2,90,250 properties in Madurai Corporation area, 1,40,471 properties had metered connections, which means 45.73 per cent of them are paying water tax as per meter reading.
The Collector, K. Veera Raghava Rao, recently said that the district administration had begun identifying water sources in and around the city and peripheries.
The total water requirement and the supply sources would be worked out by the revenue authorities.
Corporation Commissioner Sandeep Nanduri appealed to the residents to use water judiciously and cooperate with the administration in overcoming the shortage.
He assured that the Corporation would take into account the daily requirement of water and supply.
Apart from the toll-free number available, he asked the people to use the call centre and the Corporation’s website to register their grievances.
The WhatsApp facility (7449 104 104) can also be used by posting the details of ward number, street name and the issue, for which there would be prompt action, he added.
