Press Release  No.57                                                        Dt.  23.04.2008

PRESS RELEASE

WATER QUALITY IN CHENNAI CITY

To ensure that the quality of water supplied to the people of Chennai city conforms to the standards prescribed by Bureau of Indian Standards (IS 10500-1991), the CMWSS Board is taking various steps on continuous basis.  The surface water drawn from various Lakes such as Poondi, Cholavaram, Redhills, Chembarambakkam near Chennai city and Veeranam Lake in Cuddalore District is treated in the water treatment plants at Kilpauk, Redhills, Chembarambakkam and Vadakuthu.  The treated water from these treatment plant is conveyed and distributed to the consumers in Chennai city through a 2924 KM long pipe line net work from 16 major Water Distribution Stations and 12 minor Head Works.  In every water treatment plant a process laboratory is functioning to regularly check the quality of raw water as well as the treated water at various stages of treatment.  In all the treatment plants it is ensured that the quality of treated water conforms to the prescribed standards.

A separate Quality Assurance Wing is functioning in the Board to monitor the water quality throughout the city.  Water samples are collected from nearly 30 locations throughout the city on daily basis and are tested for various physical, chemical & bacteriological parameters by the Quality Assurance Wing of the Board.  Besides, residual chlorine level in the piped water supply is tested daily at nearly 130 consumer points.

As per the guidelines of Central Public Health Environmental Engineering Organization (CPHEEO), for Chennai city it is required to take 600 samples per month for bacteriological analysis.  However, samples ranging between 750 to 900 are collected and tested every month by the Quality Assurance Wing to ensure that the water supplied is free from any contamination.

 In addition to the independent monitoring by Quality Assurance Wing, the Area Engineers, Deputy Area Engineers and Depot Engineers of the Board are taking 5 to 10 samples each on daily basis for checking the residual chlorine level to ensure the quality of water.  Likewise the Corporation of Chennai is also testing the residual chlorine level and sharing information with CMWSS Board.  During the year 2007 a total of 46004 samples were tested for residual chlorine and 99.58% of the samples were found to be having the satisfactory residual chlorine level.  Out of 12795 water samples tested for bacteriological quality, 99.02% of the water samples were of satisfactory quality.  As per norms prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) 95% drinking water samples tested for bacteriological quality should be free from bacteria.

Any incidence of deterioration in quality that does not conform to the prescribed standards as stipulated and inadequate level of disinfection are immediately informed to the respective Field Engineers (Depot Level) and Area Engineers for urgent redressal.  The Depot Engineers inturn ascertain the causes for deterioration in quality and rectify the problem and report back to Quality Assurance Wing.  The Quality Assurance Wing once again checks the quality of water at the particular location to ensure that the water quality is conforming to standards.

The Quality Assurance Wing of the Board is also coordinating with health authorities of Chennai Municipal Corporation and state Directorate of Public Health and takes suitable measures in maintaining the water quality.  Agencies from outside such as Chennai Municipal Corporation, King Institute under the control of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, etc. are also involved in water quality monitoring.  Samples are being collected independently by these agencies and tested for various quality parameters.  During July 2007 King Institute had collected water samples from 74 different locations in the City Distribution Network and tested for the presence of residual chlorine and it was found to be at the satisfactory level in all the samples.  Further 50 samples collected from various locations were tested for bacteriological quality and found no coliform organisms.  Again during March 2008, this institute collected 40 samples from the city water distribution network and tested for residual chlorine as well as bacteriological quality test.  The water quality in all the cases was reported as satisfactory.

CMWSS Board is also sending the monthly water quality report to the King Institute, Director of Public Health and Health officer, Corporation of Chennai.

The Quality Assurance Wing of the Board is also equipped with 2 Nos. of mobile vans which are being utilized for attending to pollution complaints received from the public as well as Field Engineers.  A team of Assistant Water Analyst and laboratory Technician along with field Engineers investigate and identify the source of pollution.  In case of pollution, the piped supply in the affected area is immediately disconnected and the water supply is maintained through Mobile Tankers.  Thereafter detailed investigation is carried out to identify the source of pollution.  Piped water supply is resumed in the affected area only after rectifying the defect and flushing the distribution net work.

Sanitary survey is also conducted by the Board on the admission cases reported from Communicable Disease Hospital.  The Board, on daily basis, gathers information about Acute Diarrhoeal Diseases (ADD) cases reported in CD Hospital and takes necessary follow up action by conducting detailed investigation in the locality of such patients to determining the cause of the disease.

In case of any complaint of water pollution, consumers are advised to inform to CMWSS Board at following Nos.:

                                                                        PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER

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