Parts of north Chennai are likely to have better water supply since the leaks in the pipelines catering for the localities are being rectified as part of water conservation measures of Chennai Metrowater.
Officials of Metrowater said that in areas such as Vyasarpadi, Perambur, Ayanavaram and Sowcarpet, hours of water supply would be increased, once the work was completed in December.
This has been taken up under the Rs.39-crore leak detection and rectification scheme being implemented in a phased manner.
The water agency had already implemented the scheme across the city a few years ago. Of the nearly 1,400-km-long pipeline network, a stretch of 466-km long pipeline detected with leaks was replaced.
The initiative also saw nearly 1.70 lakh house service connections being replaced as part of the larger rectification scheme.
“After the replacements, we found that the water loss decreased from 33 per cent to 11 per cent. House service connections tend to have more leakage,” an official said.
Leakage in the remaining portions of pipeline, which was identified in northern parts of the city, is being rectified now. Of the total stretch of 55 km, pipeline covering 17 km has been replaced so far.
Besides changing the old pipeline, damaged ones serving nearly 40,000 house connections are also being replaced under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Renewal Mission.
This would also ensure an equitable distribution to tail-end pockets and prevent pollution.
The use of cast iron pipes that gradually became corroded and poly vinyl chloride (pvc) pipes that could be easily tampered with during digging led to wastage of water. Such pipes are being replaced now with ductile iron pipes and medium-density polyethylene pipes that are malleable, an official said.
The new pipeline is expected to last 20-25 years.
