Latest news with #CMWSSB
New Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
No tech to treat ‘forever chemicals' in Chennai waters, NGT told
CHENNAI: Chennai's water bodies may be contaminated with Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), also known as 'forever chemicals', but Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) says there is no mandate nor technology available to treat them, both in drinking water and wastewater. The submission was made by CMWSSB superintending engineer Sivakumar in an affidavit before the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The tribunal had registered a suo motu case based on media reports highlighting alarming levels of PFAS in waterbodies, including drinking water sources such as Chembarambakkam lake. A recent study by IIT Madras, published in a scientific journal, found PFAS concentrations in the city's water to be nearly 19,400 times higher than the safety levels set by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The chemicals were detected in groundwater near the Perungudi dumpyard, and in the Adyar river, Buckingham Canal, and Chembarambakkam lake. 'Forever chemicals', due to their persistent nature and strong carbon-fluorine bonds, are widely used in products like non-stick cookware, food packaging, and firefighting foams. When present in drinking water, they pose serious health risks, including links to cancer and liver ailments. A metro water official stated that current treatment facilities are not equipped to remove PFAS due to inadequate infrastructure and limited technical expertise. However, CMWSSB maintains that it meets Indian Standard (IS:10500) requirements for treated water. Sivakumar said the Union Environment Ministry and the Central Pollution Control Board must issue specific guidelines for PFAS regulation. Though advanced PFAS treatment methods are being explored in the US, EU, Australia, and China, their adoption in developing countries remains limited due to high costs and lack of expertise.
The Hindu
28-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
T.N. Chief Secretary reviews civic and infra works in Perumbakkam, South Chennai
Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary N. Muruganandam on Saturday, assessed the solid waste management and drinking water supply connectivity at the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) units at Perumbakkam. He also inspected multiple civic infrastructure works, underground sewer projects, road restoration, pond desilting, and lake rejuvenation undertaken by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB). He met the people and members of the resident welfare association of the tenements. The garbage collection work has improved since GCC took over the work earlier this year. The process to provide sewage and water supply connections to all units by CMWSSB is also progressing, the Chief Secretary said. Further, the public informed him of poor network and wifi connectivity. He assured them that the government would talk with leading companies to improving network connectivity. He said that initiatives under the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC), such as Naan Mudhalvan Finishing School Scheme, tailoring, and other trades focusing on youth were also needed for the residents. A skill institute was being established currently at Perumbakkam by the CMDA. Later, he reviewed the CMWSSB underground drainage project for an estimated ₹99.71 crore at Ramachandran Street and Bangala Thoppu Main Road in Mugalivakkam. He checked the desilting of the canal in Adyar Zone for an estimated ₹30 lakh, work at two ponds near the MRTS area for ₹32.14 lakh, roadworks from Velachery to Perungudi MRTS Station and on MGR Road, worth ₹8.09 crore. Mr. Muruganandam also inspected the rejuvenation of Sri Raman Thangal Eri in Sholinganallur Zone. Chennai Corporation Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran, Highways and Minor Ports Department Secretary R. Selvaraj, Metrowater Managing Director D. J. Vinay, TNUHDB Managing Director Shreya P. Singh, Regional Deputy Commissioner (South) Aftab Rasool, and other officials were present.
The Hindu
23-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
T.N. government approves plan to tackle floods and water shortage in Chennai and surrounding areas
To make the city and the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA) water abundant and flood resilient, the State government has approved a Water Security Plan under the Chennai City Partnership Programme. A Government Order (G.O.) was recently issued directing the Water Resources Department (WRD) to adopt the plan, which has recommended 704 works to conserve floodwater and create a decentralised water supply system to mitigate the impact of climate change in the region. With an aim to combat climate change-induced recurrent floods and droughts in Chennai and surrounding coastal districts, the Water Security Plan aims to integrate supply, demand, and governance plans. The G.O. said there was a gap in the current demand and supply of water in the city, as the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) supplied 1,040 million litres a day (mld) against a demand of 1,720 mld (as estimated in 2020). Rising water demand According to the CMWSSB's Master Plan, the water demand in the city is likely rise to 38.73 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) in 2050. With the recommended projects under the Water Security Plan, there is a potential to create additional storage and harness a total of 39.74 tmcft of water in 2050. Twelve water basins, including the Chennai and Palar ones, have been considered for project recommendations in the CMA. Sources in the WRD said the department would be able to proceed with specific studies, project implementation, and fund tie-ups following the crucial step of government approval. Various interventions have been planned under three strategies — conservation of floodwater runoff at source, including rivers and catchment areas; climate adaptive rejuvenation of waterbodies focusing on boosting storage capacity, and regulation of flash floods and river training and flood protection works. The WRD looks to implement various projects, including creating new reservoirs, restoring supply channels, and building a network of check dams and channels for inter and intra basin transfers, over a project period of five to 10 years. Some of the long-term ones will even be implemented over more than 10 years. B. Sakthivel, hydrologist and consultant, who is part of the project, said the plan would address capacity enhancement of existing waterbodies. Further investment on projects should be done based on the plan's recommendations for water conservation, flood mitigation, groundwater recharge, and climate resilience. Some of the projects include upgrading 350 tanks, including the ones in Thenneri, Sriperumbudur, Manimangalam, and Pillaipakkam, into reservoirs with additional storage capacity. Three barrages will be created across the Palar to work as riverine reservoirs. Several groundwater recharge structures will be set up along the coastal belt. The government will fund the projects and receive reimbursements from funding agencies, including the World Bank, after the project is completed, said sources in the WRD.
New Indian Express
19-06-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
CM Stalin unveils 50 automated water dispensing units
CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday inaugurated 50 automated drinking water dispensing units across Chennai, installed by the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) at a cost of Rs 6.04 crore. The units, set up in high-footfall public areas such as bus terminals, railway and metro stations, government hospitals, markets, parks, temples, schools, and colleges, are intended to provide free and safe drinking water to the public. Users could collect water in 1-litre or 150 ml quantities through the automatic dispensers. However, within hours of the launch, residents and commuters reported that some of the machines had stopped functioning. Social activist LM Jai Ganesh said the units in Vasuki Nagar and Muthamil Nagar near Kodungaiyur became non-operational by Wednesday afternoon. He noted even during the inauguration by MLA RD Sekhar, only the machine at Vasuki Nagar dispensed water, but that too stopped functioning after sometime. 'When food delivery agents and auto drivers tried to fill their bottles, the machines didn't work,' he told TNIE. 'When I contacted the toll-free number displayed on the machine, the person who answered the call said they were unaware of the issue and asked me to call the (CMWSSB) area engineer.' An auto driver in the area, who did not want to be named said, 'I finished my meal nearby and came to drink water, but there was no water.'
NDTV
18-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
MK Stalin To Launch Fifty Water Vending Machines In Chennai
Chennai: In a major public welfare initiative to ensure access to clean drinking water for all, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin will inaugurate 50 vending machines across Chennai on Wednesday. The official inauguration will take place near the Marina swimming pool. The initiative, led by the Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB), is designed to provide 24/7 access to free drinking water, especially benefiting people from low-income backgrounds. These state-of-the-art water vending machines, also known as water ATMs, have been installed in strategic public locations throughout the city. According to Metro Water officials, the machines are being installed in two to six key spots within each Corporation zone. Locations include public places such as beaches, parks, temples, bus depots, terminals, and marketplaces -- all identified by the Greater Chennai Corporation for their high footfall and utility. Each vending machine is linked to a Metro Water pipeline and a storage tank to ensure an uninterrupted water supply. The machines are equipped with a purification system and are monitored around the clock through CCTV surveillance. Users can choose between two quantities of drinking water -- 150 ml or 1 litre -- depending on their requirement. "This is a commendable step by the state government, particularly for people who cannot afford bottled water," said M. Sajesh, a resident of Triplicane. "However, consistent monitoring and timely maintenance will be crucial to ensure the success and sustainability of this project." He also recalled a similar initiative launched in 2016 -- 'Amma Kudineer' -- under the leadership of former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, which was eventually discontinued due to a lack of proper follow-up and maintenance. Officials from CMWSSB have assured that this new scheme will be actively monitored, with regular inspections and service checks planned to prevent neglect or breakdown. With the launch of these water vending machines, the government hopes to provide safe, accessible, and free drinking water to the city's residents -- a move that reinforces its commitment to inclusive urban development and public health.
