Chennai: To ensure round-the-clock access to safe drinking water, Tambaram Corporation announced a budget allocation of 3.7 crore to install water ATMs at 25 locations within its limits. Corporation officials said at least five lakh residents of Perungalathur, East Tambaram and West Tambaram are expected to benefit from the project.
The water ATMs will be installed at locations with high footfall and will be monitored regularly to ensure uninterrupted supply and quality.Tambaram requires around 130 million litres a day (MLD) of drinking water. While areas such as Chromepet and Pallavaram have piped water connections, most other parts of the corporation depend on private water lorries. Tambaram corporation commissioner S Balachander told TOI that the project will be rolled out in phases. “Initially, water ATMs will be set up at 25 locations. Users can draw up to five litres at a time. Each vending machine will be connected to a water pipeline and a storage tank to ensure uninterrupted supply. People don’t have to spend money on water bottles and cans either,” he said. He added that the machines will be equipped with a purification system and monitored round the clock through CCTV surveillance. “Users can choose between one litre and five litres of drinking water depending on their requirement,” Balachander said.Public places such as beaches, parks, temples, bus depots, terminals and marketplaces were identified for installation based on footfall and public utility. The facilities will be monitored through the integrated command and control centre (ICCC), and engineers will receive alerts whenever water levels drop.While residents welcomed the initiative, some raised concerns about maintenance and long-term sustainability. Syed Shamsudeen, an activist and resident of Pallavaram, said many water ATMs in Chennai are currently dysfunctional. “There is no proper upkeep after installation. The corporation should study the demography before installing the machines,” he said.V Saritha, secretary of Ganesh Nagar residents welfare association, said that there is a need for more water dispensers in Tambaram. “Packaged drinking water is costly at 20 a litre. Water ATMs will help address this issue. This will be helpful during summer,” she said.
