Chennai: South Chennai neighbourhoods relying on borewells and private tankers along ECR, OMR and Tambaram will get piped water supply of 400 MLD within a year. The deadline for the ₹5,814-crore Perur desalination plant project is Oct 2027, and 66.5% of the work was completed.The ongoing works include intake facilities, clarifiers, reverse osmosis systems, reservoirs, sludge treatment units, and utility buildings. Marine works have also progressed significantly, with underground 2,500mm HDPE pipelines being laid beneath the seabed. Two intake pipelines and a brine outfall line have already been completed and connected.To carry desalinated water into the city, large transmission pipelines are being laid from Perur to Porur over 59km. So far, 10.32km of pipelines have been laid out of 37.13km procured. Under the Perur–Kovilancheri package, 7.13km of the total 27.1km pipeline has been completed.Municipal administration and water supply department secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi inspected the site on Saturday and directed officials to meet deadlines. Officials said the contract includes 42 months for construction and 20 years of operation and maintenance, with the govt aiming to commission the plant by Oct 2027.This was Bedi’s first field inspection after the new govt assumed office. Sources said chief minister C Joseph Vijay, who heads the MAWS dept, had asked officials during his initial review meetings to prioritise ongoing drinking water projects.Later, Bedi reviewed ₹686.54-crore water supply, and sewerage works across Manali, Madhavaram, Vadaperumbakkam, Theeyambakkam, Mathur and Puzhal — areas where several households still lack piped drinking water access.At Grand Northern Trunk Road, officials are using trenchless technology to lay sewer infrastructure without digging up roads.Under the package, the city will get 7,087 manholes, 183.38km of sewer pipelines, 30.57km of force mains, nine sewage treatment plants and 14 sewage pumping stations. Around 18,581 house sewer connections are planned, benefiting nearly two lakh residents.
