Renovate rainwater harvesting structures soon, residents told

With the north east monsoon approaching, the Chennai Metropolitan Water Board and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) has instructed the residents of Chennai city and its suburbs to install Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) structures and maintain the already existing ones in their buildings.

“In order to continuously derive the benefits of Rain Water Harvesting, the residents of Chennai are requested to maintain the RWH structures. The materials filled in the filter chamber such as sand, pebbles and blue metals are to be removed, cleaned with water and refilled with blue metal at the bottom, pebbles at the middle and sand at the top,” said an official adding that rain water pipes connecting the RWH structures should be free of blocks or cracks to avoid overflow and leakages. 

The residents are advised to contact the respective area offices and depot offices of CMWSS Board for proper guidance on the maintenance of RWH structures. The depot officials of CMWSS Board would inspect the houses and buildings to assess the conditions of Rain Water Harvesting structures. 

The residents may contact the Rain Water Harvesting cell of CMWSS Board by dialling up 28454080, officials noted. Meanwhile, water experts expressed concerns stating the Chennai metro water board should have begun spreading awareness much earlier. Sekhar Raghavan, director of The Rain Centre, said “Last year drought should have been a lesson for concerned officials and awareness of RWH should have already been created. Eleventh hour messages will not reach public,” he pointed out.