TWAD Board partially resumes water supply to parts of Tiruchi and Thuvakudi; but troubles far from over

TIRUCHI An urgent proposal has been sent to the Tamil Nadu Water and Drainage Board (TWAD Board), se

An urgent proposal has been sent to the Tamil Nadu Water and Drainage Board (TWAD Board), seeking ₹3 crore to carry out temporary restoration at the head works of a combined drinking water scheme on the riverbed of the Kollidam near Yatri Nivas in Srirangam that suffered a severe damage due to heavy discharge of flood water from the Upper Anicut (Mukkombu).

It is one of the important drinking water schemes that is being implemented by the TWAD Board in the district. It supplies 17.2 MLD of water to six wards of the Tiruchi Corporation mainly in Tiruverumbur, Kattur and Ariyamangalam, entire wards of Thuvakudi municipality and Koothaipar town panchayat and 90 other rural habitations.

The bridge, which bears the pumping mains of the scheme, suffered a damage on October 17.

One of the piers of the bridge went down due to erosion caused by strong water current in the river. It subsequently damaged the water mains on the bridge. The TWAD Board officials swung into operation immediately. The water supply was resumed after carrying out repair works on October 20. But within two days of restoration of water supply, the bridge suffered further damage on October 22, forcing the officials to stop supply.

After repairing it, they resumed the water supply on October 23. But they could not sustain it as two more piers of the bridge went down further. After some hectic efforts, the water supply has been restored partially. However, it is said that the scheme would face further hurdles if the Kollidam river continues to carry heavy water flow during the northeast monsoon period.

According to official sources, the bursting of steel pipe had caused extensive damage. Moreover, the pipes and cables of two infiltration wells in the Kollidam river were said to have been washed away due to heavy flow of flood water.

When contacted, District Collector M. Pradeep Kumar, who twice inspected the damaged portion of the bridge within three days, told The Hindu that the issue had to be sorted temporarily initially ahead of the intervention for permanent rectification after the northeast monsoon.