Sewage-mixed water poses health risk to residents of Pattalam, Pulianthope

CHENNAI: For over 10 days, residents of Pattalam and Pulianthope said they have been dealing with drinking water contaminated by sewage, leading to many residents falling sick. The residents said several parts of Pulianthope, including Munnuswamy Nagar, Parthasarathy Street, and Guruswamy Nagar, have been affected. The recent rain has also led to water getting stagnated, and mixing with sewage, particularly in the Pattalam area. According to GCCs ICCC data, within 24 hours since October 17 morning, the average rainfall was recorded as 3.13 cm, with highest rainfall recorded at Wimco Nagar (7.7cm), Ennore (7 cm), and Thiruvottiyur (6.3cm). Residents told TNIE the drinking water supplied to the area developed a foul odour and discolouration in the last few days. They suspect damaged sewer lines to be the reason. After complaints, metro water officials have initiated the process of resolving the issue, they said. This problem has persisted for nearly a month but became severe in the last 15 days. My wife and children fell sick with loose stools, and at the hospital, we saw many other children from Pulianthope with the same complaints. Thats when we suspected water contamination, said Srinivasan R (31), a resident of Munnuswamy Nagar. Suganthi, a resident from Kanagaraya Thottam, said, I have been drawing water using a common roadside pump, but for the past few days it smells and tastes contaminated. We are forced to go to the next street to collect clean water for use. Social activist, Mohan P (29), said, With complaints raised, the issue has temporarily been addressed. But it should be permanently resolved. In a post on X, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) said the contamination in stagnated water was due to damage in a metro water pipeline and added it was pumping out the sewage water and cleaning the affected areas. TNIEs attempts to reach officials from the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board for a comment went unanswered. Meanwhile, though Kannagi Nagar has not been severely affected from the recent rain, to avoid major waterlogging during the intense rains in November and December, TC Karuna, former AIADMK councillor, have urged the authorities to desilt the drainage and stormwater drains, which is still pending, to ensure smooth flow of rainwater. He also sought the relaying of damaged roads, pointing out that potholes prevent proper drainage.