CHENNAI: Residents of Arumbakkam, particularly those living on Panjali Amman Koil street and Mangali Amman Koil 1st and 2nd streets, have been receiving contaminated and foul-smelling drinking water for the past four days, affecting the routine life of residents in the locality.
This issue stems from a sewer line damaged by contractors carrying out storm water drainage (SWD) work on Panjali Amman Koil Street on Friday night.
According to residents of Panjali Amman Koil Street, a contractor began demolishing a stretch of the old SWD on Friday night, damaging a sewer pipeline that lay very close to it. On Saturday, several houses got a light foul odour, and the intensity was high on Sunday and Monday.
Until Tuesday afternoon, sewage leaked from the damaged line and stagnated in the SWD. Sewage back-flowed into the drinking water pipeline, contaminating the supply.
A resident of Panjai Amman Koil Street, S Manoharan, alleged, “For the past four days, we’ve been receiving contaminated water. Initially, we thought our water tank might be dirty. Later, while inspecting the sump, we found the stored metro water had been contaminated. Consuming this water, children and senior citizens in our apartment were affected with diarrhoea.”
Concurring with him was another resident from the same street, who added: “We could smell the odour while consuming the water on Sunday. We have a baby at home. To avoid illness, we temporarily shifted to our relative’s house.”
An official in the Corporation said, “The chances are high that the main sewer chamber lines are illegally linked to the SWD. The Metro is the main reason for this issue, as sewage is entering the SWD.”
“Despite paying an annual water tax of Rs 30,000 to the Metro Water department, we continue to receive contaminated water. On Monday evening, we had to book a private water tanker at Rs 1,500 for domestic use and spent Rs 10,000 to repair our motor,” fumed V Jaya.
Responding to the allegation, a Metro Water official said, “The contractor caused the damage and did not inform us. Since receiving complaints from residents, we have expedited work to clear the stagnant water. The drinking water pipeline is also being blocked to prevent sewage from mixing with the drinking water line. The issue will be addressed by today. The water will be turned off to check the leakage in the line, and further fresh water will be supplied.”
Similarly, residents on Gandhi Road and Janakiraman Colony have reported water contamination in the specific period and are calling on the Metro Water department to resolve the issue and provide a clean water supply.