Managing the water crisis this summer is becoming a struggle for city residents, particularly those residing in apartment complexes.
Several of them complained that they were unable to book mobile water supply operated by Chennai Metrowater, as the bookings were being cancelled on grounds that they had been made over a short period of time from the same premises. Members of the T.Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association complained that though the apartments had single water connections, charges were being collected individually from flat owners. Instead of cancelling bookings made by residents of the same apartment complex on different dates, Metrowater could defer the tanker supply for later dates.
Vijalakshmi Suresh, a resident of Choolaimedu, said it took nearly 20 days for a tanker load booked online to be delivered. Residents resort to booking for the next load to avoid undue delay and overcome the shortage. Piped water supply had dwindled and tanker water was the only means of supply in the absence of adequate groundwater source in the area, they pointed out.
Metrowater officials said that on average, nearly 7,000 mobile trips were being operated daily, including those on payment. Frequent bookings for tanker supply on payment from the same premises were discouraged as it led to a backlog of trips. Residents of individual houses who would be able to book only after 10 days would be affected because of the frequent bookings made by apartment complexes.
Dry weather
Meanwhile, summer heat is here to stay, as Chennai is likely to experience dry weather for the next few days. Though interior parts of the State would have to endure blistering heat till Monday, a few places in the interior areas have better chances of rainfall.
N. Puviarasan, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, said cool southeasterly winds kept the temperature under control in coastal areas compared to interior Tamil Nadu. Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam registered maximum temperatures of 35.5 degrees Celsius and 37.1 degrees Celsius, which is close to normal. The same weather trend is likely to continue till the weekend.
Karur sizzled on Friday with temperatures peaking to the maximum of 41.2 degrees Celsius in the State. In interior areas, day temperatures would continue to remain two or three degrees Celsius above normal. This would usher in pre-monsoon showers, which is also described colloquially as ‘mango showers’ in the interior areas, he said.