Frequent breaches in poor quality drinking water pipes hit hard supply

Public protests in Palayamkottai due to erratic drinking water supply and delayed road construction, demanding immediate action from officials.

The erratic drinking water crisis and delay in laying road triggered protests by the public in Palayamkottai at two places on Thursday.

Ever since the drinking water project meant for the residents in the southern and eastern peripheral areas of Palayamkottai, like Tuckerammalpuram, Teachers’ Colony, Thamizh Nagar, Mahizhchii Nagar, Canara Bank Colony, Thiyagaraja Nagar etc. was commissioned 10 years ago, frequent bursts in the distribution pipes and even in the main pipeline carrying drinking water to the Teachers’ Colony sump and Mahizhchi Nagar sump paralyses the supply repeatedly.

The public and the councillors alleged that the reason behind this burst was the inferior quality of drinking water pipes used by the contractor and the absence of air valves in sufficient numbers. As a result, drinking water pipes burst and the water supply is often disrupted.

“While the stipulated specification of the drinking water pipe should be used for this project is good, inferior quality pipes have been used for making more profit. And, the absence of air valves at the right points worsened this problem further. Even though the corporation officials are very much aware of this corrupt practice, they allowed it to happen for reasons best known to everyone. Now, the residents are paying hefty price and the Corporation is claiming to give drinking water for 24 X 7,” said ward 41 councillor J. Sangeetha of MDMK, whose ward has been badly affected by erratic drinking water supply.

She said supply of drinking water from Mahizhchi Nagar sump to the overhead tanks at Canara Bank Colony in ward 54, LKS Nagar in ward 40 and Thiyagaraja Nagar of ward 55 had been hit hard by these breaches.

“More than 100 bursts have been reported at Jeba Garden area in the past four years. And, the officials have spent more than ₹45-lakh for attending these breaches. If an air valve is installed besides replacing the damaged pipes with quality HDPE pipe for just 100 metres, this issue can be addressed. However, the Corporation is not for this everlasting solution and our agony continues,” Ms. Sangeetha said.

After the public protested and even squatted on the road along with CPI (M) councillor Muthusubramanian of ward 55, the Corporation officials pacified the protesters with the assurance that they would replace the damaged pipes within a month to ensure improve the drinking water supply.