Residents, councillors demand solution to water supply issues at Kondalampatti zone in Salem

Residents and councillors of the Kondalampatti zone have urged the Salem Corporation to sort out the issues regarding drinking water supply. Currently, residents across the zone’s 16 wards wait nine or ten days to receive water.

Over 10 lakh people reside in the 60 wards spread across four zones in Salem city - Ammapet, Hasthampatti, Kondalampatti, and Suramangalam. Through the Salem-Mettur Dedicated Water Supply Scheme and the Attur-Nangavalli Combined Water Scheme, the Salem Corporation receives protected drinking water from Cauvery River. The Corporation needs 135 MLD of water, and through these two schemes, it usually draws 140 MLD of water and distributes it through 51 overhead water tanks.

For the past two months, several wards in the Corporation have complained about receiving water once in eight days, and a few wards, especially in Kondalampatti zone, have to wait nine or ten days. Even though the Corporation is able to draw more water and there is sufficient water in the Mettur dam, residents don’t receive enough water, they said.

The issue was raised by all party councillors in the Salem Corporation council meeting, and last week, councillors of wards 53, 54, and 55 from Kondalampatti zone met the Mayor to sort out the issue.

Ward 54 Councillor (DMK) Kanimozhi said that with the demand for water set to increase in summer, people have sought uninterrupted drinking water supply. “As there were complaints of motor repairs, we met the Mayor and requested to sort out issues in the drinking water supply,” she added.

Kondalampatti zonal chairman (DMK) Ashokan said that since the water pipelines were laid several years ago, the pumping pressure capacity is low. The Salem Corporation has taken steps to sort out the issue, he said.

Salem Corporation officials claimed that as the Kondalampatti zone is in the tail end, there are some issues in supplying the water. “Due to various issues, the water received through the two schemes has now reduced by 10 MLD (receiving around 130 MLD) and the issue will be sorted out in a couple of days,” he said.