In another 4 years, cleaner waterways to become realty in Chennai
Posted on: 06/Sep/2019 9:50:02 AM
The news that cleaner waterways would become reality in another 4 years of time if various projects proposed by the Chennai metro water are implemented has been the subject of discussion for many now.
It must be noted that the metro water plans to plug sewage outfalls and strengthen sewer networks. Information is works would get started from January. Important point is the water agency is set to call for tenders in this September as the state government has approved works worth Rs 1001 crores.
Eco-restoration works have been taken up by the CRRT or Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust along the Cooum and Adyar Rivers at a cost of Rs 300 crores is known. It is revealed that the new project aims at comprehensive clean up of Cooum and Adyar Rivers plus Buckingham Canal and its associated drains. From January next year, work would start. Recently, a GO was issued sanctioning various projects worth Rs 2371 crores. It was proposed by Chennai metro water to plug the sewage outfalls into Chennai city’s waterways plus to strengthen sewage network by means of short and long term strategies.
For the purpose of preparing DPR to intercept and divert untreated sewage from reaching city waterways, two consultants WAPCOS and NSS Consultants Hyderabad have been engaged. This was according to the officials belonging to the metro water. It is important to mention that 380 sewage outfalls have been identified in the major waterways and their associated drains.
The officials mentioned about how there are 217 outfalls on various stretches of Buckingham Canal and its 21 drains like Kodungaiyur drain, captain Cotton Canal, Adambakkam drain and Keelkattalai drain. On the Cooum and on the Adyar rivers, the remaining outfalls are found. It must be noted that Chennai city sewer network faced challenges such as inadequacy of sewage collection system, pumping capacity and linking of storm water drains to sewer networks etc. Point to be noted is excess sewage is often let into smaller drains. By intercepting sewage flow and by diverting it to the nearest pumping station, the proposed works are expected to address such issues.
For the purpose of preventing raw sewage from entering the rivers, mini sewage pumping stations would be constructed in areas like CIT Nagar, Bharathi Salai, G.N. Chetty Road and Porur etc. In places like Saligramam, Arumbakkam and Greams Road, to divert raw sewage, sewage pumping stations would be built.
It was later revealed by an official that across Chennai city there are 3000 kms of sewer pipelines that function as collective system. He shed light on how these pipelines functioned for more than 5 decades though they were designed for 30 year life. He concluded that the proposed projects would help in improving a minimum of 20 to 30% of the existing collection system.
