Chennai faces worst water crisis; tanker prices soar

People stand in long queues desperately waiting for a blue van; IT and ITES firms ask their employees to work from home instead of their offices, and restaurants and hotels face the threat of temporary closure.

This is how Chennai, the gleaming Southern metropolis with a population of one crore, roughly looks like today, as the water crisis attains unprecedented proportions this summer. The situation is much worse in southern Tamil Nadu, where people are forced to wait for weeks together for drinking water as the rain gods continue to play hide and seek with the lower riparian state.

With last year’s north-west monsoon failing to fill up the reservoirs that supply water to the ever-thirsty city, the water crisis started staring at the city from January when summer didn’t even officially begin. The government busy in keeping its flock together and fighting a do-or-die election failed to take enough measures to contain the crisis that was brewing for the past five months.

The groundwater level has depleted to a record low forcing tankers to source water from nearby districts which are also facing water crisis. The reservoirs that supply water to the city have less than 1% capacity, which is an indication that things could get worse in the coming days.

More than 20 to 25 small and medium-sized IT/ITES companies have almost downed their shutters by asking their employees to log in from their homes due to non-availability of water.

Baranidharan, President, Union of IT & ITES Employees, told DH that more companies would be forced to ask their employees to work from home if the government does not step in and defuse the crisis. Chennai is home to 650 IT and ITES companies employing over 3.5 lakh professionals.

Changed menus in restaurants

More than 20% of restaurants, mostly medium-sized ones, have been downing their shutters once in every two or three days, when their water storage levels dip.

“20% of the restaurants were closed for at least three to four days this week due to shortage of water. Prolonged waiting time for water and exorbitant pricing are forcing owners to shut their shops for a few days resulting in huge loss. If the situation is not contained, more than 50% restaurants would have to down their shutters by next week,” M Ravi, President, Chennai Hotels Association, told DH.

Some restaurants are planning to remove 'South Indian Meals' off the menu till the time the crisis is over as preparing a full-meals involves cooking at least half-a-dozen items, all of which consume water, Ravi added.

Making money while water dries up

Tanker lorries are making a kill in the city by doubling the price. A full load of water that cost Rs 1,200 a fortnight ago is now worth anywhere between Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000. The waiting time between the time of booking the tanker and the delivery date is four to six days.

Up-market areas like Alwarpet and Teynampet, Velachery, Ullagaram, Alandur, Vadapalani, Kodambakkam and Nungambakkam have been affected adversely with people thronging the streets looking for water tankers that are being arranged by the government.

“We have been without water for the past two days. It is becoming difficult to send children to school as there is no water. We need water and the government has to ensure that the needs of the people are fulfilled,” Kalaiarasai, a homemaker in Teynampet, told DH.

“Water is a necessity not just for drinking but for a variety of reasons including running air conditioners. Since the companies depend on water tankers for their needs, they are not able to keep their shutters up due to acute shortage of water. Other big companies are asking their employees to save water and put the available water to optimum use,” Baranidharan said.

Even as people queue up every neighbourhood looking for water, the government is putting up a brave face saying all is well. “We have been trying to solve the water crisis, but due to acute drought we have not been able to meet the needs of the people. But the government is taking every step to provide water to people in the state,” Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani said.