CHENNAI: An RTI-based field audit by Arappor Iyakkam has revealed that three water ATMs installed under the Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) free drinking water scheme were missing from their designated locations, raising serious questions over the implementation and monitoring of the project.
The NGO said the project, launched in June 2025, aimed to provide free, round-the-clock automated drinking water facilities at 53 locations across Chennai. However, contract documents and work orders related to the initiative were not available on the CMWSSB website, prompting it to seek details through the Right to Information Act.
Using RTI responses, the NGO collected information on installation costs, maintenance contractors, geo-tags, and water quality reports. Volunteers later conducted field inspections at 28 of the 53 locations and found widespread operational lapses.
According to the audit, only eight water ATMs were functioning properly, while 17 locations suffered from issues such as dry taps, unclear water, leakage, or the absence of drinking tumblers. Most notably, three ATMs were found to be completely missing from the locations listed in official records.
M Radha Krishnan of Arappor Iyakkam said that the RTI replies from the local zonal office claimed that the ATM at Kamarajar Salai in Ramapuram was functioning efficiently and even included daily water quality certificates from June 19, 2025, to February 25, 2026. However, volunteers found that no machine existed at the site.
The unit, maintained by M/s Kalaichandran, was claimed to have supplied 30,500 litres of water, he said. Shopkeepers and residents in the locality told volunteers that no water ATM had ever been installed there.
Similarly, water ATMs were missing from Ambattur Industrial Estate Road and Madhavaram Red Hills Road. At the Madhavaram Red Hills Road location, volunteers found only a concrete pedestal. Residents reportedly told the NGO that the ATM had functioned only briefly after installation before breaking down and later being removed entirely.
The audit also found that water ATMs installed at Mathur MMDA, Thiruveedi Amman Temple, Murasoli Maran Park, Stephanson Road-Cooks Road Junction, Perambur Bus Stand, and MGR Nagar Bus Stand were defunct. In contrast, units at the Vadapalani bus terminus and Shivan Park in KK Nagar were functioning properly, Radha Krishnan said.
Arappor Iyakkam has urged authorities to investigate the missing units, restore the facilities, and ensure regular maintenance, particularly in areas near schools and other public gathering points.
Responding to the allegations, a CMWSSB official said all water ATMs were geo-tagged and maintained by two private contractors. Denying that any units had gone missing, the official said three defunct machines had been relocated from sites with low public usage.