R. Jyothi, a homemaker residing at Christurajpuram, located right in the heart of the city, had a rude shock the other day when the drinking water she fetched from the municipal tap looked like something straight out of an open drain.
Though she is used to seeing the supply of chlorinated but brownish water with visible dust particles, what shocked her was that the same situation is continuing even after the 25-year-old pipelines in her street were replaced recently. Only the frequency of such polluted supply has come down, but the problem hasn’t been solved completely.
All other residents of the hilly area of Christurajpuram and several other colonies in the city face a similar situation every now and then.
Depedent on municipal water
About one-fourth of Vijayawada’s population residing on the hilly areas is completely dependent on the municipal water. Not because they just cannot afford so-called purified drinking water cans sold by private players, but due to denial of delivery of bottled water by a majority of delivery boys who find climbing the hill tops a difficult task.
“The suppliers charge more or deny service. We can’t get it on our own though the purified drinking water is cheap if bought at their plants. With no other option, we depend on municipal water and filter it twice before using it,” Ms. Jyothi says.
On the other hand, the patronage for private drinking water plants is going up by the day following doubts over quality of municipal drinking water.
Damaged pipelines
Though the civic body is going all out to provide safe water, using larger pipelines and boosters, to even the last house of any hillslope area, the hidden problems of corroded and damaged pipelines crossing over the open drains and passing alongside underground drainage lines are failing the VMC.
Regardless of the standards of treated drinking water pumped through the Head Water Works and reservoirs across the city, the civic body or its works division engineering staff couldn’t ensure that the same quality of water is received through taps in households.
The outbreak of diarrhoea allegedly due to contaminated drinking water in Guntur has finally brought to the fore the scope for such incidents in the city and prompted the authorities to comprehensively examine the complex water supply network for the first time or at least after many decades.
Review meet
Following the instructions from the Municipal Department, Chief Engineer of VMC P. Adi Seshu conducted a review meeting on the water supply status and precautionary measures to be taken in view of the Guntur incident.
As part of the comprehensive review, the engineering department has taken up a thorough study on the water supply system and pipelines to identify leaking and damaged pipes, and leaking underground drainage system, Mr. Seshu told The Hindu.
“House service connections are affected after a long time when a leak is developed on the pipelines. The drainage water through which pipelines cross over enter these pipelines and cause pollution. Most of the problems are arising at the joints,” an Executive Engineer said.
Also, the many pipelines crossing over the drainages are being removed and replaced as part of the storm water drainage project which is going on in the city.
