CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay laid the foundation stone for the Rs 3,108.55 crore Ring Main Project under the Greater Chennai Corporation areas at the Metro Water pumping station in Sholinganallur.

To meet the daily drinking water demand of Chennai's 91 lakh residents, 1,260 MLD of water is supplied through 143 distribution stations. This water is sourced from five reservoirs, along with the water received from the Krishna river and Kannankottai Thervaikandigai. Processing is handled by five water treatment plants and three seawater desalination plants, one in Minjur and two in Nemmeli.

Currently, main pipelines transport drinking water directly from specific treatment plants to designated zones across the city. Consequently, if a supply disruption occurs at a specific source, no alternative infrastructure exists to reroute water to affected areas.

The Ring Main Project addresses this vulnerability. It will integrate nine facilities, including five existing treatment plants, three operational desalination plants, and a 400 MLD seawater desalination plant currently under construction in Perur. The project is funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and expected to be completed by 2031.

The project scope includes laying 91.20 km of ring pipelines, 64.20 km of transmission mains, 2.65 km of pumping mains, along with associated civil structures. This grid setup will guarantee an uninterrupted, year-round drinking water supply across all city distribution stations.

Additionally, modern Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems alongside real-time pressure, flow rate, and water quality sensors will be installed throughout the network. Managed continuously from a modern control room at the Chennai Water Board's headquarters, these SCADA devices will automatically regulate and maintain steady water supply levels citywide.