Korattur gets sewage-mixed water due to faulty pipelines

The 40-year-old Metro Water lines had been damaged, three years ago, during the work carried out by the Greater Chennai Corporation for stormwater drains. The damaged lines had resulted in sewage water mixing with drinking water.

Since then, a new set of pipes have also been built, but the switch has been impossible as the authorities said that the water tank should have adequate water in it. 

Talking to DT Next, Syed Hassan, secretary, Korattur Residents Association that covers the Tamil Nadu Housing Board area where the problem has affected the residents’ access to safe drinking water, explained that lack of coordination between departments has landed the residents in trouble.

“Amid this, we also have the effluents from the Ambattur Industrial Estate entering the water supply lines. Therefore, we have closed the connection and began using the water in the well,” he said.

The residents have been meeting the water shortage by buying water. “It is not even summer yet, but we have to buy water to meet our consumption needs at least once a month. The area has a mix of middle and higher-income households and not everyone can afford to spend so much on water,” explained Hassan.

The problem is likely to affect any of the 60-odd streets in the locality, added Hassan, who said that he has made multiple visits to the authorities, but no action has been taken so far. “About 3,000 households in the area has been suffering due to the neglect,” he said.

R Sivamurugan, the executive engineer of Zone seven, said that while they have not received specific complaints from the Zone, officials will be sent to the locality to ascertain the condition. “When the lines were damaged three years ago, we had taken corrective measures. We have to look into the complaints specifically, now, to address them. There could be individual issues in the area concerned,” he said.