CM Stalin inaugurates free drinking water vending machines in Chennai

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday inaugurated Water Dispensing Machines installed at 50 locations in the city by the State Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) department.

Chief Minister Stalin launched the scheme by operating the water dispensers installed near the Corporation Swimming Pool in Marina Beach.

Implemented for Rs 6.04 crore by the Chennai Metro Water, the water ATMs would dispense water in two volumes - one litre and 150 ml measures.

Connected to the Chennai Metro Water drinking water distribution lines, overhead tanks with a capacity ranging from 3,000 litres to 9,000 litres would collect the water before it is run through a three-point filtering mechanism and stored in rust-free silver tanks.

The automatic water dispensers are operated and maintained using an app through IoT (Internet of Things), which alerts the area engineer of Chennai Metro Water as soon as the water level declines in the machines.

Alerted by the app, the local area engineers would replenish the dispensers, which have been put under CCTV surveillance and monitored from the CMWSSB headquarters to prevent theft and damage by anti-social elements, to ensure uninterrupted supply of potable drinking water to the people free of cost. Implemented based on the advice of the Chief Minister, the water dispensing units have been installed in locations with high footfall to cater to public demand. Orders have been issued to operate and maintain the units for three years at the 50 locations, including Manali, Tondiarpet, Anna Nagar, Ambattur, Valasaravakkam and Adyar, besides bus stations, parks, temples, government hospitals, commercial areas, railway stations, schools, colleges and metro stations. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, state municipal administration minister KN Nehru and officials also took part in the event.