Ambattur zone has the highest number of eligible houses without sewage connections

Despite having a newly created underground sewage system in extended zones, only 10 per cent houses in those areas have sewerage connections. 

As per the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (Metrowater) data, more than 1 lakh buildings have been identified for the new sewage connections, of which connections to 9,947 houses were provided as of Wednesday (July 7). The houses are in Thiruvottiyur, Madhavaram, Ambattur, Valasaravakkam, Perungudi and Sholinganallur zones. 

Metrowater is providing sewage connections to the houses under Illam Thorum Inaippu scheme. On Tuesday alone, new connections to 341 houses were given. 

Of 1,00,078 buildings identified for new sewage connections in the city, as many as 46,750 houses are in Ambattur. In the zone, 3,322 connections have been given under the scheme and 43,428 buildings await sewage connections. 

When asked about the reason for the huge number of houses without sewage connections in Ambattur, a Metrowater official said that the underground sewage system (UGSS) works were completed recently in the zone and the connections are being in the areas where UGSS works are completed. 

"The number of houses to be given the new connections will go higher according to the progress in the UGSS works in other zones too. Once the works are completed, we will give connections even though the house owners not applied for one. First we give connections and then collect charges," the official said. 

P Akash, executive director of Metrowater, assured that underground sewage system works in all the extended areas would be completed in a year or two and connections would be given to all the households. 

"Presently, we are giving connections to the houses in the areas, where UGSS reached," he added. 

Under the scheme, the residents are allowed to pay the connection charges in 10 instalments within five years. "But the high-income group residents should pay up in single payment. Usually, we consider building owners with ground-plus-two-floor buildings as a high-income group," the official explained.