Sweating over water

Suburbs in the city are reeling under water scarcity, often depending on private water tankers, as municipal supply is insufficient to meet their daily needs. Tanker owners say that the demand has gone up, and predict that the numbers will increase during peak summer. 

From fast-falling groundwater levels to bad quality of water supply, to increasing groundwater salinity – these are some of the reasons which have forced the residents in suburbs to depend on water tankers for their needs. 

D Sridharan, former secretary and executive committee member of Sri Kapaleeswarar Nagar Welfare Association in Neelankarai, said the ground water level in their locality is going down and the water is increasingly becoming salty. “There are so many borewells dug around various corners, some by the Corporation, which are pumping out water round the clock. This is causing a dip in the groundwater level. The quality of water is also suspect, since there is septic tank pollution, due to lack of a proper drainage system. In addition to this, the water from the desalination plant is not provided to the residents on the eastern side,” said the 65-year old retired professional. 

This is a common refrain in suburbs around the city, as residents fear severe water scarcity during the upcoming months of peak summer. In Pallavaram, a water-starved locality, people, especially those living in apartment complexes, rely on supply from private water tankers. V Santhanam, president, Federation of Civic and Welfare Associations of Pallavaram, said the municipality supplies drinking water from Palar once a week, which is preserved for cooking. “But many people here have started buying water cans as the quality has gone down. The water supply is insufficient for those living in large apartment complexes and many families book a water tanker. These tankers get water from villages around Nanmangalam and Nemilichery,” explained the social activist. 

Balasubramaniam, a 46-year-old resident of Avadi said there are no water pipes and in places where there is a provision for the pipes, there is no water supply. “The situation is especially bad in parts of Avadi, like the Housing Board area and Gowripet, where people still use the hand pumps, which unfortunately remain dry. The Avadi Municipality is supplying water, but it is only on alternate days. We save and use it judiciously. Most of us are worried about how we will fare during the peak summer, and we would most likely start buying water from private tankers,” he said.  In Korattur, residents have resorted to using water from borewells, as the Metro Water supply is of a poor quality, said Syed Hassan, Secretary of Korattur Welfare Association. “Because of the effluents being let into the Korattur lake, there is a possibility of the toxic release getting mixed with the groundwater. This  affects the quality. Many of us have sealed the supply from Metro Water lines and have started using water from the wells. Currently, we have water but the fear of scarcity, as the peak summer approaches, persists. It is only a question of days before we start looking for alternate solutions,” said the resident. 

Sajeevan P, a member of the Perungudi Lake Area Neighbourhood (PLAN), said in certain areas, the demand has led to a hike in the price of tanker water. “In areas like Kallukuttai, the water tanker drivers have started demanding more money. The groundwater salinity has increased and there is an increasing dependence on water tankers. It takes three days to get a load from Metro Water lorry supply. In other parts of Perungudi, most of the residents rely on bore wells. When the groundwater level goes down, we worry that we may have to depend on tankers, as the summer progresses,” said the entrepreneur. 

Water tanker suppliers conceded that the demand has increased and they must venture further to get good quality water. A tanker of water costs between  Rs 800 and 1,200 for a full load (12,000 litres). M Nijalingam, president, Private Lorry Owners Association (South Chennai), said, “The summer has just started and we have already noticed a sharp increase in demand. 

We are sure that this will go up drastically as the season becomes hotter. We are getting a number of new customers, as water scarcity is evident across the city. Earlier, we used to do 100 loads, now we are doing 200 per day. To get the water, we are also venturing further inland. Before, we travelled 20 km to get water. Now, we travel for 30 km or more.”