Metro Water Board to install 200 hand pumps

The Metro Water Board is also gearing up to take up repairing works in many areas where the hand pumps are not functional. According to officials, Chennai city already has 5,100 hand pumps from which at least 20,000 households procure drinking water. 

As residents in several areas complained that the hand pumps were not working, plumbers from the board are now regularly carrying out repair works. 

“We are intermittently taking water samples from the hand pumps and sending it to the laboratory to check whether water is fit for consumption. Since most such pumps are in open places, residents do not wait for metro water tankers. As there is no water in the lakes in Chennai region, these hand pumps have become a blessing for the residents,” said an official. 

However, residents are worried that with ground water level in city fast depleting, the hand pumps may soon become useless. “The city is already witnessing a dip in the ground water level. If the situation continues, we will not get water from the hand pumps,” said K Anand, a resident of Elephant Gate.

In order to make the process of procuring water more convenient for the general public, the Metro Water has launched online booking of metro water tankers. Metro Water tankers are taking over 6,000 trips around the city supplying drinking water. 

At present, users who want to purchase water from the department have to call the respective filling point and book a tanker. In order to make the process more convenient, the board has launched online booking of tankers. 

Now, the customers can visit the Metro Water board website - www. chennaimetrowater.com - and book a tanker online. Once booking is done, a confirmation SMS will be sent to the customer’s mobile number. In case of a delay, a complaint can also be lodged online,” said an official. 

The phone booking service has also been centralized. Rather than calling the respective filling points, customers can now call the common number 45674567 and book water tankers. “However, the existing system of phone booking of tankers will continue,” the official added.