The Hindu : Metrowater's Second Chennai Project nearing completion

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 26, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Metrowater's Second Chennai Project nearing completion

By K. Lakshmi

CHENNAI, MARCH 25. The multi-crore Second Chennai Project (SCP) of Chennai Metrowater, aimed at improving water supply and upgrading sewer network, is nearing completion.

The project, taken up in 1996 with World Bank aid, has completed majority of the proposed works, including construction of water distribution stations, as the deadline is March 31.

It was taken up at a cost of about Rs.780 crores to improve 16 sewage pumping stations and to carry out leak detection and renewal of pipelines. Of the amount, about Rs.720 crores have been spent so far on the SCP, says a Metrowater official.

As part of the SCP, seven new water distribution stations (WDS) have been established in areas including Mylapore, Vyasarpadi, Velachery and Kolathur. These WDS are to facilitate piped water supply and to improve consumer service with increased pressure in water flow.

The number of WDS has been increased from four to 12 due to the construction of these stations. However, most of the WDS are not functioning to their full capacity, thanks to water crisis. "The benefit of the project will be felt more during the normal period of piped water supply," the official says.

Besides enhancing the existing WDS, Metrowater has completed laying of transmission mains for about 36 km in areas served by the new stations. The transmission mains help in transporting the water from treatment plants to the WDS without much wastage, he says.

The water agency has also covered a length of about 660 km to strengthen the piped water distribution system in 11 zones. "The leakage of water supplied was reduced from 35 to 11 per cent due to the improvement of the pipelines." This will ensure additional water availability and equitable distribution during the normal period of piped water supply.

The works in the remaining five zones, including Kilpauk, Nungambakkam and K.K.Nagar, will be taken up in the proposed Third Chennai Project, says the official.

In the leak detection component, a total of 1.9 lakh domestic connections have been covered and leaks in sewage mains running up to 595 km have been rectified.

The ongoing works include upgrading the water treatment plant at Kilpauk at a cost of about Rs. 20 crores and interconnection work with the transmission main of the Triplicane WDS.

The remaining Rs.60 crores of the fund will be utilised to provide bulk flow meters in pipes at about 60 locations to measure the quantum of water released into the mains and distribution lines. This will ensure equitable distribution of water pumped from the stations. The work is to be completed by end of May.

The Third Chennai Project, at a estimated cost of about Rs.750 crores, include construction of a checkdam across the Kosasthalayar and deepening and desilting of tanks, including those at Ambattur, Madhavaram and Korattur.

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