MADURAI CORPORATION AND DRINKING WATER SCHEMES 1Dr.(Mrs).P.SELVI 1Associate Professor,P.G and Research Department of History Sri Meenakshi Govt. Arts College,

INTRODUCTION The National Water Policy lays emphasis on Water is the main component of the human body. integrated water resources development and In fact, the body is composed of between 55 and management for optimal and sustainable 78 percent water, depending on body size. utilization of the available surface and Adequate and regular water consumption has groundwater. numerous health benefits. As an added plus, it Creation of well-developed information system, has no calories, fat, carbohydrates or sugar. The water conservation and demand management consumed water plays an important role in have been recognized in the Policy. Drinking maintaining a healthy body. An ample amount of water has been accorded the first priority in water in the body also helps regulate body allocation of water for diverse uses. It integrates temperature. Providing safe and purified water quantity and quality aspects as well as to the residents of Madurai is the responsibility environmental considerations for water through of Madurai Corporation. Clean drinking water is adequate institutional arrangement. a basic necessity and basic right of human beings. Supply of clean drinking water in the DRINKING WATER SCHEMES IN urban and rural areas has always been one of the MADURAI CORPORATION highest priorities of the government. Madurai Corporation meets its water demand through surface and subsurface sources through ROLE OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT water supply schemes on the . First The Ministry of Water Resources lays down protected water supply was provided to Madurai policies and programs for development and City in the year 1892 through head works at regulation of the country’s water resources. It Arappalayam in the river Vaigai. The water covers sectorial planning, coordination, policy abstracted from the Vaigai River through guidelines, technical examination and techno- infiltration galleries was pumped directly into the economic appraisal of projects, providing distribution system. In 1924 another head works Central assistance to specific projects, was installed at Kochadai in the River Vaigai. facilitation of external assistance and assistance Considering the increasing population and in the resolution of inter-state water disputes, additional demand, head works were installed policy formulation, planning and guidance in early in the 1970’s at Melakkal, Thatachampathu respect of minor irrigation, command area and Kochadai Collector well on the Vaigai river development and development of ground water bed and they are utilized to convey water through resources, etc. pumping to the north zone (i.e., North of River Vaigai) during mansoon season and when there is sufficient flow in the river. Head works at

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Mannalur and Thiruppuvanam downstream of inorder to facilitate the citizens to lead a health Madurai City were utilized to pump water to the and protective life. South Zone (i.e., South of River Vaigai) and are partly functioned depending upon the WATER RESOURCES availability at source. Pursuant to the design and Madurai corporation has drawn up an ambitious implementation of the World Bank Vaigai water 640 crores plan to draw water from the supply scheme potable water is now being lower camp of Mullaperiyar dam to meet the supplied to the South Zone of Madurai. It also drinking water needs of the growing temple city. sought the help of the Government in this regard. Partial yield from September to February The schemes of Tamilnadu Government and through the existing collector well / infiltration Central Governments help the civic body to galleries installed on Vaigai River at Melakkal, provide the safe drinking water to the residents Thatchampathu and Kochadai for supply to of Madurai. . This city serves as the District North Zone. Design capacity of the Headquarters for and is situated aforementioned headworks is 52 MLD. approximately 500 km south of Chennai. However only 23.00 MLD of Water is realized Madurai has an existing water supply and from the river bed and this amount is highly distribution system with Vaigai Dam as the dependent on rain fall and release of water primary source. It uses many sources of drinking through the Vaigai River from the Vaigai Dam. water to meet the needs. Partial yield (mansoon season) from headworks installed at Manaloor and Thirupuvanam on the WATERSECURITY Vaigai river bed for supplying drinking water to Water Security has been one of the important South Zone. Year round available source objectives of the Government of .. conveyed to South Zone through 1100 mm dia Provision of drinking water security is seen not PSC transmission main from the Vaigai only as an end in itself but as a means of Reservoir under the World Bank project achieving health and ecological security. Clean implemented in 1993. Besides the above there drinking water is a basic necessity and right of are 1825 Nos. of Borewells are being drilled and life. Supply of clean drinking water in the rural mini power pump scheme with HDPF Tank with areas has always been one of the highest point distribution or by laying distribution line in priorities of the government. To achieve the the nearby streets with 6 to 8 public fountains a objectives, Accelerated Rural Water Supply quantity of 54.70 MLD of water is being Programme (ARWSP) is being implemented to supplied. There are 23 over head reservoirs of resolve the drinking water problem in rural and 34.85 MLD capacity and one Ground level urban habitations. The Central Government Service Reservoir of 6.80 MLD Capacity supplements the efforts of the states by providing available in the City. financial and technical support. The Tenth Plan emphasizes participatory approach where PRIs DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM should be the key institutions for convergence of The town is divided into 12 Water supply drinking water supply programs at the ground distribution Zones. A total length of 467.00 level Water Supply, sewerage and sanitation are Kms of distribution system has been laid out of not only the basic necessities of life, they are also total road length of 615.00 Kms. In addition to Crucial for achieving the goal of “Health for this 0.36 MLD is supplied to areas uncovered by All”. Increased sanitation coverage is directly water lorries. For Madurai Corporation Water linked to improvement of health status. Water Supply, an annual quantum of 1500 mcft. of Supply is perhaps the most important and basic surface water has been allotted and to be drawn need that has to be provided with reliability, from Vaigai Dam. Out of1 500mcft. 900 mcft. sustainability and affordability. In a water of water is presently drawn directly from Vaigai starved State like TamilNadu, which depends Dam and conveyed through raw water main of largely on seasonal rainfall, the provision of 1100 PSC pipe, treated at water treatment plant drinking water to the population acquires even at Pannaipatty and the clear water conveyed more significance. The Government is focusing through clear water transmission main of 1100 on the need to improve the quality of life, water mm PSC pipe and distributed through supply coupled with sanitation are essential distribution network of South Zone. The balance

ISSN (PRINT): 2395-7786, (ONLINE):2395-7794, VOLUME-1, ISSUE-1, 2015 20 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRORESSES IN ENGINEERING, MANAGEMENT, SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES quantity of 600 mcft./year from Vaigai Dam for Chemical examinations: pH, alkalinity, river bed wetting purpose, is drawn through a hardness, sodium, potassium, iron, manganese, system of collector well, infiltrations walls and ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, chloride, fluoride, infiltrations galleries at Thatchampathu, sulfate, phosphate, BOD, COD, TKN, oil & Melakkal and Kochadai. Water abstracted from grease, aluminum, chromium, arsenic, free these head works is pumped to the Ground level chlorine. service reservoir at Arasaradi. From the GLSR Bacteriological examination: Standard plate the water is then pumped through two feeders count, total coliform, fecal coliform, fecal main to North Zone of Madurai. streptococci. Bleaching powder and alum: Quality analysis PROCESS OF WATER Sampling for Chemical examination The quality of public health depends to a greater Water for chemical examination should be extend on the quality of drinking water, it is collected in a clean, white 2 liter polythene incumbent that detailed information about the container. The source from which water is quality of water be systematically collected and collected should be in regular use. Otherwise the monitored. During last decade, it is observed that source should be adequately flushed before the ground water gets polluted drastically sampling. For hand pump sources, the water because of the increased human activities should be pumped and wasted for at least three .Consequently number of cases of water borne to five minutes to clear all dirt, slime and diseases has been seen which a cause of health turbidity. hazards. Therefore, the pollution of water Water from wells should be taken in the middle resources need a serious and immediate attention at mid depth. For lakes, rivers and dams, the through periodical checkup of water quality. water should be collected near the off-take point. The samples were collected in sterilized, Before collection of sample, the container should phosphate free bottle and the collected samples be washed with the water to be sampled for at were analyzed on various physicochemical least two or three times. The water should be then parameters, filled completely in the container without leaving any air space. Place the inner cap. Place a STANDARD METHODS OF ANALYSIS OF polythene sheet (10x10 cm) in between the inner WATER and outer caps. Screw the outer cap. Place The Madurai Corporation provides safe and another polythene sheet of same size over the Water sources available for drinking and other outer cap and tie the neck with a rubber band or domestic purposes must possess high degree of twine thread. Label the container with all purity, free from chemical contamination and required source particulars. The sample should microorganisms. Getting safe drinking water by be delivered to the lab within 24 hours from the the residents is a basic right The rapid growth time of collection. of urban areas has further affected the water Sampling for Bacteriological examination quality due to over exploitation of resources and For bacteriological examination, the water improper waste disposal In Madurai should be collected only in a pre-sterilized 250 physicochemical analysis of the collected ml glass bottle which could be obtained from any samples were carried out by TWAD board. such of the laboratories. The sample collection as temperature, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), procedures will be explained in the laboratory electrical conductivity (EC), total hardness when the sampling bottles are delivered to the (TH),alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, sodium, customer. The sample should reach the potassium, chloride, sulphate, nitrate, fluoride, laboratory within 6 hours from the time of chemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, collection. etc., However when preserved in an icebox, the sample can be delivered within 24 hours.The WATER TESTING FACILITIES sample should be labeled properly before it is Physical examinations such as Color, odor, dispatched turbidity, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, suspended solids.

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CONCLUSION Water is prime natural resource, a basic human need and a precious national asset. Optimum development and efficient utilization of water resources, therefore, assumes great significance Scarcity of fresh water poses a serious and growing threat to sustainable development and protection of the environment, Human health and welfare, food security. Madurai Corporation is striving for providing pure and safe drinking water to the people of the Madurai. They achieved in their attempt. Madurai Corporation provides safe and purified drinking water to the residents of Madurai by processing the available water sources. Hence the people of Madurai get purified drinking water

REFERENCES 1. R. RamasawamyIyer,” Water and the Laws in ” Sage Publications, New Delhi, 2009, p56 2. Central Ground Water Board, Annual Report New Delhi, 2004, p15 3. The Ministry of Water Resources,’ Jawaharlal Nehru National Renewal Mission (INNURM),’New Delhi,,2006.p.45 4. City Development Plan, Madurai Corporation Madurai.2007,p.36 5. Engineering Department t, Annual Report, Madurai Corporation,2206, Madurai,p34 6. M.S. ., C. Balamurugan: Dheenadayalan, “Studies on the quality of groundwater in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India”SAGE Publication,2009.p.167 7. Madurai Corporation 1City Development Plan, Madurai.2005,p45 8. P.C.Bensil Water Management in India. New Delhi, 2004.p98 9. Engineering Department Final Report on Water Supply, Madurai Corporation. P.5 10.TWAD, Report on water distribution, Madurai, 2008,p18 11. Central Ground Water Board, Annual Report Ministry of Water Resources, New Delhi,2007 p66 12. TWAD, Op.Cit p.32

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