The stubborn sewage problem

Every year, there are proposals to upgrade the sewerage network. Most of these though, are yet to take off

Every year, the monsoon brings with it floods and sewage overflow.

This year though, the city has had these problems even without the accompanying rain.

Over the past few months, residents have stepped onto roads outside their homes, only to be greeted by stagnant sewage. Nearly one-third of the 3,000 complaints registered by Chennai Metrowater’s helpline every month are to do with sewage overflow or clogged sewer lines.

Often, the complaints are from the same areas, made at regular intervals — generally, Purasawalkam, Broadway or Triplicane. A friend in Purasawalkam recently said that she was anxious about the constant overflow of sewage, occurring for some years now. It takes at least a week for the sewage to recede, and just when the residents of the street heave a sigh of relief, the problem begins again.

Last week, residents of Vyasarpadi were so frustrated over the deteriorating sewage network in their area, that they staged a road roko. Even this, only brought them a temporary solution. This year, sewage spills have been reported from several new localities, adding to the already lengthy list of chronic areas.

Every year, elaborate proposals are chalked out to upgrade the sewerage network. Last year, the State government allotted Rs. 189.1 crore to Chennai Metrowater under the Mega City Development Mission. This year the water agency set aside Rs. 40 crore to improve sewage pumping stations and old pipelines. The State government also announced funds amounting to Rs. 245.55 crore to implement sewerage projects and improve the existing network.

But these projects are yet to take off, thanks to the delay in tendering processes and the wait for permission for road cuts to execute them. Even after the tenders are awarded, it will take at least two years to complete the project envisaged.

Sewer lines in areas with burgeoning populations are on the brink of collapse. On days when it rains, the city’s sewerage network receives 50 per cent more than its designed capacity. Frequent desilting of pipelines instead of cleaning them when the sewers get blocked is the only way to manage recurring problems. This will also prevent risking workers’ lives as in the recent incident in Perambur, where two men died in the attempt to clean a sewer.

While more funds and attention are needed for operation and maintenance of the network, Metrowater must also augment its equipment. The agency currently has 84 jet-rodding machines and 70 desilting devices, but this is inadequate to cater to the needs of 200 wards in the city. Many times, the equipment has to be shared among the depot offices and often, the devices are not well-maintained.

Periodical repairs of the machines, disbursement of sufficient funds for maintenance, purchase of sophisticated equipment to clean deep sewers and creating awareness against dumping of solid waste into the sewer network will help reduce the persistent problem of clogging.

Maybe it is also time Chennai took a leaf from the books of Delhi and Mumbai for the speedy execution of such projects by implementing innovative trench-less methods to lay new sewer lines.