Chennai MetroWater Supply and Sewage Board
Encyclopedia
Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewage Board known as CMWSSB to provide Water supply and sewage treatment to the city of Chennai
and around areas of Chennai.
Chennai
is one of the metros in India
which is dependent mostly on ground water supply. Ground water in Chennai is replenished by rain water and average rainfall in Chennai is 1276 mm. Chennai receives about 985 million liters per day (mld) from various sources against the required amount of 1200 mld and the demand is expected to rise to 2100 mld by 2031. The newly constructed Minjur desalination plant adds another 100 mlds to the city's growing demand.
, Sholavaram
, Red Hills
, Chembarambakkam, Veeranam to cater the daily needs of water for chennai area.
Chennai receives most of its water from Poondi Lake (3,231 Mcft), Sholavaram Lake
(881 Mcft), Red Hills Lake
(3,300 Mcft) and Chembarambakkam Lake
(3,645 Mcft).
The Veeranam Water Supply Project was implemented as additional source of water to Chennai City. The Project was commissioned in the year 2004 to supply 180 MLD of water to Chennai City by drawing water from Veeranam Lake
. This lake receives water from Cauvery River system through Kollidam, Lower Anicut and Vadavar Canal besides rainwater from its own catchment area. The capacity of the lake is 1465 Mcft. The lake water is treated at Vadakuthu Water Treatment Plant by pumping raw water at a distance of 20 km. from Sethiathope to Vadakuthu through 1775 mm dia mild steel pipe. The treated water is then pumped at a distance of 8 km. to Break Pressure Tank at Kadampuliyur through 1750 mm dia mild steel pipe and from there the water is conveyed to a distance of about 200 km. through the mild steel pipe of 1875 mm and 1500 mm dia by gravity to Porur Water Distribution Station near Chennai. From this Distribution Station, water is pumped to a distance of 1.2 km. and distributed to Chennai City through Trunk mains and Water Distribution stations.
,Nochikuppam,Kasimedu, Ayodha kuppam. It takes raw Brackish water from bore wells , stores in tanks and then it purifies before supply.
Desalination plant is located in at Kattupalli, Minjur
.The Chennai Water Desalination Limited(CWDL)is setting the plant infrastructure and maintaining the plant for 25 years as per agreement between CWDL & CMWSSB. The CMWSSB purchase water from them and supplies to the city network through Madhavaram Booster Station.
In an effort to alleviate the woes of chennaiites, Tamil Nadu
Government has forged into projects acquiring fresh water by desalinating sea water. The first such desalination plant located in Chembarambakkam has a capacity of 530 mld. The second plant was built in 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) in Kattupalli village near Minjur
about 35 KM north of Chennai. Minjur desalination plant which supplies 100 million litres a day water to Chennai
city was inaugurated on July 31, 2010. Chennai is constructing another water desalination plant at Nemmeli.
The Water Treatment Plants are:
After implementation of this scheme widely in CMA, a significant increase in the ground water levels and also quality of ground water was noted.
s from National Environmental Engineering Research Institute
, Chennai Zonal Laboratory, Chennai found Cryptosporidium
oocytes in Chennai water. Cryptosporidium is an enteric
parasitic protozoa
n capable of causing diarrhea
.
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
and around areas of Chennai.
Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
is one of the metros in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
which is dependent mostly on ground water supply. Ground water in Chennai is replenished by rain water and average rainfall in Chennai is 1276 mm. Chennai receives about 985 million liters per day (mld) from various sources against the required amount of 1200 mld and the demand is expected to rise to 2100 mld by 2031. The newly constructed Minjur desalination plant adds another 100 mlds to the city's growing demand.
Reservoirs
Chennai has fresh water reservoirs/lakes namely PoondiPoondi
Poondi is a village in the Ariyalur taluk of Ariyalur district, Tamil Nadu, India.- Demographics :As per the 2001 census, Poondi had a total population of 4090 with 1891 males and 2199 females.- References :...
, Sholavaram
Sholavaram
Sholavaram, a quiet town 24 km north of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It is primarily known for its Lake and the motor racing track.Sholavaram lake is one of the many water bodies that are used as water sources for Chennai....
, Red Hills
Red Hills
The Red Hills is the name of a physiographic region located mostly in Clark, Comanche and Barber counties in southern and central Kansas. This undulating terrain of red-tinted sediments, a product of the underlying geology, does not fit the conventional description of the Great Plains landscape of...
, Chembarambakkam, Veeranam to cater the daily needs of water for chennai area.
Chennai receives most of its water from Poondi Lake (3,231 Mcft), Sholavaram Lake
Sholavaram Lake
Sholavaram Lake, located in Ponneri taluka of Thiruvallur district, Tamilnadu, South India, is one of the rain-fed reservoirs from where water is drawn for supply to Chennai. On account of scanty rainfall for last three years , the lake looks like a small pond now....
(881 Mcft), Red Hills Lake
Red Hills Lake
The Red Hills Lake,also called Puzhal Lake is located in Ponneri Taluk of Thiruvallur district, Tamilnadu, South India . It is one of the two rain-fed reservoirs from where water is drawn for supply to Chennai City, the other one being the Chembarambakkam Lake.*The full capacity of the lake is...
(3,300 Mcft) and Chembarambakkam Lake
Chembarambakkam Lake
Chembarambakkam lake is a lake located in the Kanchipuram district of India, about 40 km from Chennai, South India. It is one of the two rain-fed reservoirs from where water is drawn for supply to Chennai City, the other one being the Puzhal Lake. The Adyar River originates from this lake...
(3,645 Mcft).
The Veeranam Water Supply Project was implemented as additional source of water to Chennai City. The Project was commissioned in the year 2004 to supply 180 MLD of water to Chennai City by drawing water from Veeranam Lake
Veeranam Lake
Veeranam Lake is located SSW of Chidambaram in Cuddalore district in the state of Tamil Nadu in South India. from Sethiyathope. The lake located from Chennai, India, is one of the water reservoirs from where water is planned to be supplied to Chennai....
. This lake receives water from Cauvery River system through Kollidam, Lower Anicut and Vadavar Canal besides rainwater from its own catchment area. The capacity of the lake is 1465 Mcft. The lake water is treated at Vadakuthu Water Treatment Plant by pumping raw water at a distance of 20 km. from Sethiathope to Vadakuthu through 1775 mm dia mild steel pipe. The treated water is then pumped at a distance of 8 km. to Break Pressure Tank at Kadampuliyur through 1750 mm dia mild steel pipe and from there the water is conveyed to a distance of about 200 km. through the mild steel pipe of 1875 mm and 1500 mm dia by gravity to Porur Water Distribution Station near Chennai. From this Distribution Station, water is pumped to a distance of 1.2 km. and distributed to Chennai City through Trunk mains and Water Distribution stations.
Reverse Osmosis & Desalination
Chennai has Reverse osmosis plants namely at VelacheryVelachery
-Geography:Velachery has mostly areas of hard rock, and a big marshland in the southern region of the area. It is said that this marshland was once a natural bird sanctuary. But nowadays, due to encroachment and rapid real estate development, the sanctuary has disappeared. Even today there is a big...
,Nochikuppam,Kasimedu, Ayodha kuppam. It takes raw Brackish water from bore wells , stores in tanks and then it purifies before supply.
Desalination plant is located in at Kattupalli, Minjur
Minjur
Minjur is a town in Thiruvallur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Minjur is also called "Vada Kanchi" for North Kanchipuram. The town has two famous temples for Siva and Vishu, similar to Kanchipuram.-Geography:Minjur is located at...
.The Chennai Water Desalination Limited(CWDL)is setting the plant infrastructure and maintaining the plant for 25 years as per agreement between CWDL & CMWSSB. The CMWSSB purchase water from them and supplies to the city network through Madhavaram Booster Station.
In an effort to alleviate the woes of chennaiites, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
Government has forged into projects acquiring fresh water by desalinating sea water. The first such desalination plant located in Chembarambakkam has a capacity of 530 mld. The second plant was built in 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) in Kattupalli village near Minjur
Minjur
Minjur is a town in Thiruvallur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Minjur is also called "Vada Kanchi" for North Kanchipuram. The town has two famous temples for Siva and Vishu, similar to Kanchipuram.-Geography:Minjur is located at...
about 35 KM north of Chennai. Minjur desalination plant which supplies 100 million litres a day water to Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
city was inaugurated on July 31, 2010. Chennai is constructing another water desalination plant at Nemmeli.
The Water Treatment Plants are:
- Kilpauk Water Treatment Plant: 270 MLD
- Puzhal Water Treatment Plant: 300 MLD
- Vadakuthu Water Treatment Plant (Veeranam Lake source): 180 MLD
- Chembarambakkam Water Treatment Plant: 530 MLD
Sewage
Chennai City Sewage System was designed in 1910 for an estimated 1961 population of 6.6 lakhs. A comprehensive improvement to the city sewerage system was designed in 1958 for an estimated 1976 population of 25.5 lakhs and 1991 population of 27.2 lakhs at a sewage flow rate of 110 lpcd in 1976 and 180 lpcd in 1991; the city was also divided into five zones with proposals for five independent disposal works. It was planned to isolate the system of collection, transmission and disposal of sewage in each zone in order to obviate the difficulties of the relay system. Presently the sewerage network in Chennai city has covered 98% of its area. As the capacity of sewers was limited, during rainy days they became surcharged due to ingress of storm water. Any surplus of sewage in excess of pumping stations capacity was drained into the nearby natural water courses of the city viz. Cooum river, Adyar river, Buckingham canal and Otteri Nalla.Rain Water Harvesting
The importance of conservation of water and rainwater harvesting can not be understated. While issuing Planning Permission for construction of major developments such as flats, residential developments, office, shopping and other commercial complexes, the condition to provide rain water-harvesting structures within the premises was put and ensured to be provided before issue of Completion Certificates. Provision of rainwater structures in all types of developments, irrespective of size or use was made mandatory by amending DCR and Building Byelaws in the year 2001, not only for the buildings proposed to be constructed but also for all the existing buildings.After implementation of this scheme widely in CMA, a significant increase in the ground water levels and also quality of ground water was noted.
Contamination
The water quality in Chennai is a long way to reach International standards as outlined in this study published on April 2007. ResearcherResearcher
A researcher is somebody who performs research, the search for knowledge or in general any systematic investigation to establish facts. Researchers can work in academic, industrial, government, or private institutions.-Examples of research institutions:...
s from National Environmental Engineering Research Institute
National Environmental Engineering Research Institute
The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute is a research institute created and funded by Government of India. It was established in Nagpur in 1958 with focus on water supply, sewage disposal, communicable diseases and to some extent on industrial pollution and occupational diseases...
, Chennai Zonal Laboratory, Chennai found Cryptosporidium
Cryptosporidium
Cryptosporidium is a protozoan that can cause gastro-intestinal illness with diarrhea in humans.Cryptosporidium is the organism most commonly isolated in HIV positive patients presenting with diarrhea...
oocytes in Chennai water. Cryptosporidium is an enteric
Intestine
In human anatomy, the intestine is the segment of the alimentary canal extending from the pyloric sphincter of the stomach to the anus and, in humans and other mammals, consists of two segments, the small intestine and the large intestine...
parasitic protozoa
Protozoa
Protozoa are a diverse group of single-cells eukaryotic organisms, many of which are motile. Throughout history, protozoa have been defined as single-cell protists with animal-like behavior, e.g., movement...
n capable of causing diarrhea
Diarrhea
Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...
.