Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Giving Chennai back its precious water

Vani Doraisamy and Swahilya

Experts blame shortage on a total lack of planning, blueprint lists critical measures needed

WATER WATCH: Degraded waterbodies such as the Velachery lake are legacies of the city's failure to be water-wise. — PHOTO: T. VIJAYALAKSHMI

CHENNAI: From a city once surrounded by more than 400 lakes to one plagued by a crippling water shortage almost every summer, Chennai's story is a lesson on the ills of squandering water resources.

Water experts and environmentalists say the main reason for this is a total lack of planning for water and making it a policy-worthy commodity.

"Though Chennai is situated in a rainfall scarce region, there has neither been a long-term plan for water conservation nor a proper hydrogeological assessment of the existing resources. The emphasis should be on retaining as much rainwater as possible by cutting run-off into the sea," says M. Karmegam, former director of the Centre for Water Resources, Anna University.

The water topology of the city has been irredeemably altered: the ancient intricate system of canals, culverts and irrigation tanks no longer exist. Water bodies have fallen to the onslaught of development. Groundwater is running out and seawater is intruding into the aquifers.

"Once upon a time there were 16 tanks in Vyasarpadi alone, whereas none exist now. The city hardly has a handful of lakes now and none within the city limits," points out Mr. Karmegam.

"The indicator of a clean environment is when we are able to drink water from an open water body without fear of health hazards. If we keep this as the focus, we can see the enormity of the problem," says P. Dayanandan, emeritus scientist with the Madras Christian College.

An environmental management blueprint for sustainable cities, drafted by the Citizen's Alliance for Sustainable Living (SUSTAIN), lists the critical measures needed. It includes accounting of the user segments such as industries, commercial establishments, apartment complexes, colleges, hospitals and households and preparation of a complete water mass balance, including total water requirement. Mapping of the available water resources (including wastewater recycling potential), sludge treatment and management, quality control and assurance, sanitation, rainwater collection, flood control, groundwater/aquifer conservation and reservoir optimisation are some of the other measures.

Linking water bodies, decentralising water management and developing a public-private participatory model are also recommended.

"More emphasis should be given to supply side management with preference for centralised, capital intensive and high cost options. Proper linkages should also be made to sanitation services, wastewater utilisation and drainage system," says M.G. Devasahayam, SUSTAIN managing trustee.

"A proper water resources assessment is an absolute necessity, including availability and distribution of water resources over space and time and storage facility. While the city has no reservoir facilities, sub-surface storage needs to be enhanced through aquifer management," adds Mr. Karmegam.

Till then, the battle for the precious commodity may not end.

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