Drinking water supply restored

As the recent floods in the Tamirabharani, the worst after the infamous 1992 floods, has damaged the infiltration wells in the perennial river, TWAD Board has made special efforts to ensure early supply of drinking water from these wells to the public, particularly in rural areas.

Officials said Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Thoothukudi districts, which received unseasonal and unexpected downpour between January 11 and 14, led to overflow from dams, especially the Papanasam, the Manimuthar and the Servalaar after the northeast monsoon in November and December had considerably jacked up the water level in these reservoirs.

Consequently, the Tamirabharani experienced heavy flood for six days with the discharge of over 70,000 cusecs of water from Papanasam, Manimuthar, Servalar, Gadana and Ramanadhi dams. Since the heavy discharge of water in the river hit a few hundred infiltration wells sunk along the Tamirabharani watercourse, supply of drinking water to various local bodies in Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi and Virudhunagar districts was completely disrupted.

TWAD Board Managing Director C.N. Maheswaran ordered deployment of 20 teams to repair infiltration wells so as to ensure early restoration of drinking water supply to consumers.

“A total of 120 persons including engineers, geologists and water quality analysts have been involved in the exercise to ascertain the quantum of damage caused to infiltration wells, for repairing damaged structures and pumps and ensuring early distribution of the determined quantity of water at the right quality to residents,” he said after his field inspection on Tuesday.

He said that supply of drinking water to the residents had resumed from 15 of the 46 combined drinking water schemes by Monday evening. “The remaining schemes will start supplying drinking water at the earliest,” he said.