Chennai: Tambaram Corporation has asked Chennai Metro Water to provide a hydrant connection at Madipakkam or another suitable location to supply potable water to the rapidly developing Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Radial Road until a permanent piped network is commissioned.The request was made by Tambaram Corporation to the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) on July 31. According to the proposal, the temporary facility is needed because existing water sources are inadequate to meet the rising demand caused by rapid urbanisation. The corporation currently caters to more than 10.11 lakh people across 70 wards and requires 135MLD per day.Tambaram requires a total water distribution network of about 1,091.31km. So far, around 534.5km of pipelines have been laid across the corporation limits. “We dont know the source of water that these private tankers rely on. If it is Metrowater, we can be assured about the quality and officials can be held accountable if there is some contamination,” said an official from Tambaram corporation.Unlike the conventional red hydrants generally associated with fire-fighting systems, the proposed facility will function as a fixed water-drawing point connected to a ductile iron (DI) pipeline. Water tankers can be brought to the connection, attached to the outlet and filled directly, making it easier for the corporation to draw potable water from the metro water distribution network and transport it to apartment complexes based on their requirements.The Radial Road corridor has seen a sharp increase in multi-storey residential buildings and housing developments, with several apartment complexes continuing to depend on water tankers in the absence of a dedicated piped network. Currently, the water requirement in Radial Road and surrounding areas is 6MLD. T M Krishnan, a resident of Pallavaram, said, “At least 15 gated communities spend nearly ₹1.5 lakh every month on tanker water for the past five years. We welcome this interim move by the corporation. However, the prices for water lorries should be determined by the corporation and metro water officials, not the private water supplier.”Tambaram Corporation commissioner S Balachander said, “The corporation has sanctioned ₹5 crore to establish a permanent piped drinking water network along about 13km of the Radial Road. The pipeline infrastructure will be laid on both sides of the road and is expected to be completed within three months after the commencement. The network will eventually be integrated with metro water’s proposed desalination-based supply system.”Metrowater managing director T Anand said, “We have received the request from Tambaram Corporation. Inspections are being carried out to identify a suitable location from where water can be supplied through the hydrant. Based on the availability of water, we will determine how much water can be supplied in MLD and take the necessary action at the earliest.”
