Abirami Sekar | November 11, 2024 Chennai

Jaishankar B, a resident of Valmiki Nagar in Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai, noticed a foul smell in his well water and later found out it was contaminated. He realized that a blockage in the sewer line had caused sewage to mix with his well water, due to worn-out pipes.

There have been repeated cases of water contamination in various areas of the city including Tambaram, Anna Nagar, Kasturba Nagar, and Kannagi Nagar, as quoted in several news reports. “We informed the sewage department, and they removed the blockage in the sewer line at several locations, pumping out 15 tank loads of stagnant water,” said Jaishankar.

Valmiki Nagar has 1,200 houses all of which use pipes that are as old as 44 years. These pipes were installed by the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) and have not been replaced due to high costs, said Jaishankar. “The average age of sewage and municipal water pipelines is about 30 years,” said R. Jones, Technical Officer of the Managing Director department at the CMWSSB. Pipes are checked zone wise and replacements are underway for those beyond their usage life, he said.

The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) and Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) excavate roads to repair wires and maintain stormwater drains, often damaging nearby metro water and sewage pipelines which leads to water contamination, said Jones.

“We have frequently requested the departments to communicate in advance before excavation work begins but they close the pits after their work, leaving us (CMWSSB) unaware of any damage to our pipelines,” said Jones. Approximately 75% of contaminated water cases in Chennai contain E.coli, a bacterium that can cause diarrhea, said T. Pradeep, an IIT Madras professor, as quoted in the Times of India.