Water can suppliers pay extra as pvt tankers hike charges

“Availability of water has become a challenge as our borewells have gone dry. We are forced to depend majorly on water supply from private water tankers, which is costly,” E Saravanan, general secretary of Greater Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers Association said.

Due to the unavailability of water and increased cost, some packaged drinking water units in the city have increased the price of packaged water cans from Rs 8 to Rs 10.

Saravanan added that they had to take the step as even private tanker owners had increased their charges. “Units that are using only private tanker water have increased the price. Others are giving at the old rates. As we could barely meet the demand of existing customers, many units are hesitating to give preference to new customers,” he said.

Owing to the increased distance they travel to tap groundwater; private water tanker lorry owners have increased the cost of 12,000 litres of water from Rs 1,200 to Rs 3,000. Meanwhile, local dealers supplying bubble top water cans have confirmed the price hike and shortage of water.

“It is difficult for us to meet the demands from new customers even as we struggle to supply water to our regular customers. Owing to the shortage in Metrowater supply, residents, who are using RO (Reverse Osmosis) water to drink, are using it to cooking as well. For the past two months, demand has grown substantially,” said P Balaji, water can supplier in Choolaimedu.

He added that he could not fill the cans at a production unit where he used to fill water regularly due to overcrowding of suppliers waiting for water.

“I have to fill my cans before 5 am so that I could start distribution to my customers before 8 am. The unit that I regularly use is struggling to meet the demand. So, I am now going to units as far as Kundrathur and Kovur to get water. This has escalated my expenses, but I could not increase my charges suddenly,” he said.

Meanwhile, 95 registered bubble top water production units in Chennai produces more than one lakh cans each with a capacity of 20 litres every day. To produce 20 litres of RO drinking water, treatment units require 35 litres of untreated water. But, remaining waste water cannot not be treated again but can be used for cleaning and gardening.

According to Saravanan, of the total 1,627 RO treatment units in the state, 282 units are located in Kancheepuram district and 224 are functioning in Tiruvallur district. Chennai district has 95 such plants. On the other hand, residents attributed the increased dependency on packaged drinking water to lack of sufficient water supply from Metrowater.

“Before the crisis, we had to buy five bubble top water cans a week. Now, water consumption has increased due to heat and we are buying eight cans a week. We have to use treated water for cooking too, as Metrowater supply is not enough,” M Mani, a resident of Kodambakkam said.

Normally the RO treated water expires in 30 days after manufacturing date. After 30 days, the pH level of the water changes and acidity increases. Allegations are some manufactures refill water in cans without cleaning them properly. Recently, food safety department officials seized nearly 900 cans containing poor quality water.