It is a hot afternoon, two residents on Ekambaram Street in Mylapore pump out buckets of water. Taking a look at the colour and odour, they heave a sigh. Turning to the reporter, one of them says, “This is the water we have to settle with for our use. Look at the colour,” he pointed out, cupping his right palm to hold the greyish water. 

The residents rely on the hand pumps for water for all their needs— cooking, cleaning and washing. According to them, for the past two years, the hand pumps have been giving them water that is unfit for household consumption. With two allotted for the street that comprises a line of 20 odd houses, they said, “There are others from nearby homes and streets, who use these pumps. On some days, we get clear water, but for a short span. On most days, we have very little option but to store this greyish water with odour.”

After complaining to the officials at the Chennai Metro Water and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB), they get the same response that it would be looked into. “But nothing has been done,” alleged another resident Sakunthala.

Some of them have begun to buy water in cans, she added. “It costs Rs 40 per can and we have to save that for almost four days. We can’t afford more than one can for every four days. That caters to our cooking needs. For the rest, we only have the hand pumps to rely on.”

Sakunthala added that they have been told that the sewer lines have interfered with the supply. “But that doesn’t explain why the water is clear on some days and on other days, grey in colour. We don’t know when these will be resolved,” she added.

A official from the CMWSSB said that with supply only once in two days, the pump is likely to suck out water with sediments on days when there is no supply. “That is why the colour changes and there is odour. However, we will look into the matter to rule out any issue,” he added, denying the receipt of complaints earlier.