A burst in the water pipeline near Iyya Mudali Street at Chintadripet on Thursday led to wastage of thousands of litres of drinking water. However, it turned out to be a bonanza for residents of neighbouring colonies who filled their pots with water gushing out of the damaged pipeline.
The pipeline supplying water to areas, including Chintadripet, Triplicane and Omandurar Government Estate, was damaged at two spots. Residents of Chintadripet said water gushed out of the pipeline for about two hours.
Eswar Shah, a resident of Koil Amman Street, said several households in the locality had not been not receiving drinking water through pipeline for the past 10 days.
“We fetch pots of water whenever tankers visit our streets once in two days. Metrowater must ensure that such a damage does not occur, particularly during water crisis,” he said.
Residents alleged that the old pipeline often got punctured even after it was repaired and some people found it convenient to draw water from the damaged pipeline.
Officials of the Metrowater said that an estimate has been prepared to replace the pipeline for a distance of 110 metres and the work would be taken up in a week.
Measures have been taken to repair the pipeline and valves were closed to prevent such incidents.
Meanwhile, the water agency has completed the trial run of the water drawal from abandoned quarries at Sikkarayapuram, Mangadu and transmission to Chembarambakkam treatment plant to manage city water supply.
30 MLD to be pumped
About 30 million litres a day would be pumped and supplied to residents from Friday. The work has been executed at a cost of ₹13.63 crore.
