Access to and provision of safe drinking water to every household in the ULB has been one of the primary concerns of the Government. Ensuring equitable and adequate supply of safe drinking water and its effective delivery is a major challenge for the ULBs.
To achieve the above primary objective, the Government has initiated various water supply projects under Tamil Nadu Urban Development Project(TNUDP – III), Urban Infrastructure Governance (UIG) and Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT), Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM), Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) and German Development Bank (Kfw). Attal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT),Tamil Nadu Sustainable Urban Development Project (TNSUDP) & Smart City Mission. Para-Statal agencies such as the TWAD Board and the CMWSS Board have also taken up the implementation of water supply schemes.
Apart from the Para-statal agencies, certain Corporations and Municipalities have started implementing of major water supply schemes on their own.
Norms prescribed by Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organization (CPHEEO) for drinking water supply in Corporations and Municipalities covered by underground sewerage system is 135 Litres Per Capita per Day (LPCD) and 90 LPCD for non UGSS towns. The aim of the ULBs toimplement the water supply schemes with the objective of achieving these norms.
The status of water supply in Corporations and Municipalities are as detailed below:
| ULBs | Range (LPCD) | No of ULBs |
| Corporations | 110 LPCD & Above | 10 |
| 70 LPCD to 109 LPCD | 8 | |
| Below 70 LPCD | 2 | |
| Municipalities | 90 LPCD & Above | 90 |
| 40 LPCD to 89 LPCD | 48 | |
| Total | 158 |
Under implementation of several water supply schemes, the water supply increased to 1904.98 MLD and the corresponding per capita supply also increased to 126 LPCD.
| Sl.No | Source of Funding | No. of Local Bodies
|
Estimate Cost [Rs.in Crores) | Completed ULBs | Ongoing |
| 1. | TNUDP III | 16 | 661.65 | Tirunelveli (Thachanallur), Gobichettypalayam, Pollachi, Bodinayakanur, Salem stage-1 & II, Kurichy, Kuniyamuthur, Koundampalayam, Vadavalli (Merged with Coimbatore Corporation), Tiruvannamalai, Sivagangai, Thuraiyur, Krishnagiri, Kuzhithurai | Pallavapuram, Pammal, Theni- Allinagaram |
| 2. | UIG
( JnNURM) |
10 | 613.30 | Madurai (Vaigai-II and Checkdam), Coimbatire (Pillur-II), Tambaram, Anaiyur, Tirupparakundram, Avaniyapuram, (Merged with Madurai Corporation), Tirumangalam, Coimbatore added area (Thudiyalur, Vellakinaru, Kalapatti, Saravanampatti&Chinnavedampatti), Avadi | Anakaputtur |
| 3. | UIDSSMT | 40 | 740.47 | Devakottai, Karur, Valparai, Tirupattur, Ramanathapuram, Paramakudi, Keelakarai, Sivagangai, Rameshwaram, Arakonam, Thiruthani, Aranthangi, Maraimalai Nagar, Vickaramasingapuram, Namakal, Srivilliputtur, Gudalore (Nilgirs) Erode, Rasipuram, Thanjavur, Villupuram, Ottanchathiram, Mettur, Athur,
Vandhavasi, Vellakoil, Thiruchenkode, Karaikudi, Palladam, Chidhambaram, Dharapuram, Periyakulam, Thiruvathipuram, Kangeyam, Kayalpattinam, Cumbum, Arani, Tindivanam. |
Kovilpatti, Tindivanam, Kodaikanal |
| 4. | JICA | 9 | 663.68 | Tiruchy, Dindugal, Thoothukudi, Palani, coonoor, Idappadi, Devakottai, Mettupalayam, Udumalaipettai | – |
| 5. | KfW | 15 | 869.15 | Tirunelveli, Kadaiyanallur, Tiruvannamalai, Pallipalayam, Cuddalore, Karur, Thanthoni, InamKarur[Merged with Karur] and Udhagamandalam. | Coonoor, Padmanabapuram,Tirunelvelli, Bodinayakkanur, Trichy, Coimbatore (Extn Area) |
| 6. | AMRUT | 14 | 5500.66 | Thanjavur, Ambur | Coimbattore, Tiruppur, Erode, Vellore, Nagercoil,Hosur, Rajapalayam, Kumbakonam, Coimbattore (Added area), CoimbattorePillur III, Tiruppur, Madurai (MullaiPeriyar) |
| 7. | TNSUDP | 6 | 660.37 | – | Namakkal, CWSS to Sankarankoil, Puliyangudi, Rajapalayam, Sivakasi, Thiruthangal. |
Efficient Water Management System:
The Government accords top priority to the improvement of the Water Management Systems in Corporations and Municipalities. The following measures are being taken:-
- Implementing modern control and monitoring systems with the provision of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA) to continuously monitor the transfer of data on water flow, performance and efficiency of pumps and motors, physical and chemical quality parameters of water,
- Replacing the inefficient motors and pumps to improve the efficiency of the pumping system in water supply.
- Revamping the existing water supply network to ensure equitable distribution of water.
District Metering Areas (DMA):
Water supply distribution is being done by dividing the supply network into number of DMA’s for the purpose of monitoring and control of Unaccounted-for-water (UFW). In general, about 500-4000 connections are considered during the formation of DMA. Each DMA area would be having a well- defined boundary with DMA meters, isolation valves on both upstream and downstream of the DMA for easy maintenance. Boundary valves are planned on the boundary of each DMA areas where pipes are interlinked. These boundary valves are generally kept in closed position and are operated only during emergency to allow flow of water from one zone to another. These DMAs shall be further divided into sub zones for periodical testing purpose with valve for monitoring and reduction of UFW as per water supply industry practice. These sub zones also help in isolating the sections during repairing of leaks or carrying out maintenance, without interrupting the total supply to the DMA.
Rain Water Harvesting (RWH):
The path-breaking Rain water Harvesting Programme was launched in 2001 under the visionary leadership of the Hon’ble Chief Minister AMMA. The effective implementation of this scheme during 2001-2006 had reaped rich dividends in enhancing ground water table.
On the directions of the Hon’ble Chief Minister, necessary amendments were made in the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920, and also provisions made in the Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules 2019. As a result, rain water harvesting structures have been created throughout the State. This intensive programme had helped the ground water table to rise substantially and had led to better recharge of underground aquifers.
In accordance with Government policy, An action plan has been drawn by Urban Local Bodies for the Revival, Rehabilitation and Maintenance of Rain Water Harvesting structures.
Out of 46.28 lakh buildings in Corporations (Except Chennai) and Municipalities, 41.56 lakh buildings (30505 Government buildings and 41.26 lakh private buildings) have been provided with RWH structures.
Rain water harvesting in the water bodies vested with the ULBs have also been given major thrust. Out of 585 Ponds, 264 have been provided with RWH structures and action is being taken to provide RWH structures in the remaining ponds and temple tanks.The recharge potential due to the rain water harvested from buildings and water bodies is quite substantial.