As a precautionary measure, residents of Marvel River View County, a gated community in Manapakkam, have raised the walls of their septic tanks. Some of them have additionally constructed soak pits.
In over ten independent houses, the capacity of septic tanks has been increased.
Manapakkam is among localities that experienced severe flooding in the 2015 floods.
“Manapakkam has clayey soil, which has a low water absorption rate. With the raising of the walls of the septic tank, the frequency with which it has to be cleared has reduced. Earlier, during rainy days, we had to have it cleared once in 15 days. Now, despite the heavy spell of rain, the tank is not overflowing,” says Brinda Brighton, a resident of the gated community.
In addition to a septic tank, V. Ramanujan has constructed a soak pit at his house.
“My house is located in a low-lying area; so, it was necessary for us to have another facility to take in sewage-mixed rainwater," he says.
Residents point out that though Manapakkam came under Corporation limits nearly six years ago, work on a underground sewage system has not been initiated. Besides that, the stormwater drain work taken up over a year ago is yet to be completed. As for the soak pits, Sam Ponraj, a city-based architect, sounds a word of caution. “Soak pits have to be constructed, keeping certain facts in mind. They are ideal for localities with sandy soil. The grey water or raw sewage has to be treated before being allowed into the soil. If not, the groundwater will get contaminated,”he says.
