Efforts on to revive Vaigai drinking water scheme for Aruppukottai

To augument quantity of water being supplied to residents; Vaigai water and Tamirabharani water would be pumped alternately

With water supplied through Tamirabharani Combined Drinking Water Scheme not adequate to cater to the residents of Aruppukottai town, municipal authorities have planned to pump Vaigai water on alternate turns.

Owing to poor quality of Vaigai water being supplied through pipelines, the people rejected the water and the project has been rendered dysfunctional for the last several months.

However, since the quantity of water supplied through Tamirabharani combined drinking water scheme has been dwindling, the urban local body has not been able to meet the drinking water requirements of the town.

“As against 55 lakh litres of water to be supplied each day, we are getting only around 18 lakh to 20 lakh litres of water from Tamirabharani these days,” Municipal Commissioner G. Ashok Kumar said.

Consequently, water was being supplied once in 25 days to the people with the limited resource. “Now, we have decided to pump Vaigai water also. We can get 30 lakh litres of water every day from Vaigai river. Since people have been complaining that it is not potable, we have planned to advise the people to use Vaigai water for other purposes and the Tamirabharani water for drinking and cooking,” the Commissioner said.

Rice cooked with Vaigai water turns yellow, the residents are complaining.

The municipal authorities have been distributing pamphlets to the residents about the new arrangement, he added.

This will ensure that water could be supplied once in 10 days.

Meanwhile, Revenue Minister K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran laid foundation stone for replacing the underground drinking water pipeline for Vaigai drinking water project.

New ductile iron pipes would be laid for 7.5 km between Kattangudi to overhead tank in Aruppukottai.

The Minister also said that efforts were under way to set up a water treatment plant for Vaigai water to purify it so that its quality and taste improved.

The Minister also said that work for another combined drinking water scheme at a cost of ₹444 crore to bring Tamirabharani water to Aruppukottai, Virudhunagar and Sattur from Sivalaperi was under way. The project is likely to be commissioned by October, he added.

Virudhunagar Collector V.P. Jayaseelan, Municipal Chairperson Sundaralakshmi were among those who were present.