Tambaram might have evolved into a municipal corporation five years ago, but its water network hasn’t kept up. In many parts, there is no supply, and where water is available, supply is hampered by a shortage of overhead tanks and patchy pipeline networks. This has left many neighbourhoods parched.

According to the 2011 census, the city municipal corporation serves a population of 7.23 lakh. More than 14 years later, stakeholders in the realty space estimate the population to have crossed 10 lakh. Next year, 19 surrounding village panchayats, including Agaramthen, Medavakkam, Kovilambakkam, Mudichur and Perumbakkam, will be added to the corporation as part of delimitation, doubling its area from 84.7 sq km to 172.34 sq km, pushing its population beyond 12 lakh — nearly one quarter the size of the metropolitan corporation.

Tambaram requires 125 million litres per day (MLD) to meet its daily needs across five zones, said a corporation official. However, it receives 76 MLD, leaving a shortage of nearly 50 MLD. On average, each zone faces a deficit of at least 10 MLD. This forces many localities to rely on unsafe and costly water supply through tankers.

Under the corporation, Chromepet and Pallavaram are the only zones with piped water supply. Among them, 25% of residential areas are yet to get piped water connections. Areas such as Selaiyur, Camp Road, Mudichur, Irumbuliyur, Anakaputhur and Thiruneermalai are mostly dependent on tankers.

A civic activist and a resident of one of the zones said, “The corporation supplies water only once in two or three days. Residents of gated communities who can afford to purchase tanker water are oblivious to scarcity. But it is a never-ending problem for those who can’t afford to buy water.”

A residents welfare association representative said, “After several years, the village panchayat will finally be merged with the corporation. However, the issue of inadequate supply must be addressed as our area is dependent on water tankers. The corporation should provide infrastructure for piped water supply before merging the panchayat.”

An official from the water authority said the desalination plant coming up in Perur could offer a solution. “The deadline for operations to begin is March 2027. Nearly 50% of the work on the project has been completed. The plant will treat 400 MLD of seawater every day and will supply drinking water to more than 22 lakh people.”

An additional 5 MLD will be drawn from the Palar River, and when the Perur desalination plant is completed, 150 MLD will be supplied to the corporation through the Ring Main pipeline from Perur via Sembakkam, Madambakkam and East Tambaram, the corporation official said.

In the past five years, no new reservoir was built in the corporation limits. These could have stored the water released from the desalination plants. Similarly, rainwater too gets mixed with sewage in stormwater drains. The corporation should have taken measures to mitigate these issues.

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