CHENNAI: Residents and commuters across the city have raised concerns about the quality, maintenance, and sustainability of the free drinking water facilities installed by the Metro Water Board.
A field visit to 12 locations identified frequent water shortages at four spots, while the remaining locations had uninterrupted supply. However, users noted that water taste and quality varied significantly across sites, prompting calls for stricter monitoring, especially during the summer.
Launched by Chief Minister MK Stalin in June 2025, the initiative covers 50 high-footfall areas, including parks, bus stands and markets. It features IoT-based monitoring and multi-stage purification, including ultra-filtration, carbon filters and UV treatment, with storage tanks ranging from 3,000 to 9,000 litres.
A visit by DT Next to the following water dispenser locations at Island Ground, Royapuram, Koyambedu, and Vadapalani bus terminus, Egmore railway station, Anna Nagar Tower Park, Murasoli Maran Park, Sivan Park, MGR Nagar Market bus stop in KK Nagar, Koyambedu Market bus stop in Kaliamman Koil Street and Venus bus stop in Paper Mills Road.
Despite these features, public trust remains low.
A group of bus drivers, conductors and commuters at Island Grounds said they were dependent on the dispensers as nearby shops were yet to open. One driver said the unit had functioned for barely 15 days over the past few months
At the Island Grounds Bus terminus, the water supply was reportedly disrupted for over 25 days. At Royapuram bus terminus, only one of the two installed dispensers is functional.
In several locations, missing or defaced instruction stickers have left users confused about how to operate the machines. At some places, overflow caused stagnation at the facility.
A group of bus drivers, conductors and commuters at Island Grounds said they were dependent on the dispensers as nearby shops were yet to open. One driver said the unit had functioned for barely 15 days over the past few months.
R Sheela, a commuter, said repeated attempts to access water from the dispenser yielded no result.
A Metro Water Board official said 57 dispensers had been installed across the city, while the Greater Chennai Corporation had set up 15 additional units based on local requirements and that the Island Ground facility was maintained by the GCC.
A senior Corporation official said area engineers would be instructed to address maintenance issues immediately.
At the Koyambedu bus terminus, staff reported water shortages occurring twice a week. While some users said the water was adequate for drinking, others used it only for washing due to the inconsistent supply.
In parks such as Murasoli Maran Park, Sivan Park and Anna Nagar Tower Park, usage remains low. A shop owner near Murasoli Maran Park said visitors preferred buying bottled water, citing poor perceived quality.
They also pointed out that the absence of disposable cups limits access to those carrying their own containers.
A senior Metro Water official said the units were covered under a three-year operation and maintenance contract and had dispensed over 30 lakh litres of water since launch. The official added that IoT-enabled alerts are sent to assistant engineers in case of technical faults or water shortages.
At high-usage locations such as Egmore railway station and areas near Marina swimming pool, the facilities are widely used by migrant workers and visitors, but complaints of frequent shortages and inconsistent taste persist.