CHENNAI: An apartment complex at Thorappakkam on OMR is not only treating the sewage generated there but is supplying the treated water free of cost to the Chennai Corporation to water plants and trees along roads and in parks.
N Hariharan, president of Aldea apartment owner’s association, said till a couple of months ago, the treated water was released into an open canal behind their complex. However, this was objected to by those living nearby. Hariharan said a team of corporation officials then visited the flat complex to check the water quality. After testing, they said it can be released into a open canal.
But the corporation officials advised the association not to release the water into the canal when others were objecting and, instead, offered to take the water for its own use, Hariharan said. The corporation wanted to use it to water avenue plants and trees and the various parks it maintained.
Former association secretary T Ramkumar said a total of 80,000 litres of sewage is generated in the housing complex. Of this, 60,000 litres is treated. Half this water is treated further and then used for flushing toilets in the complex. Another 10,000 litres is used to water the park in the open space reserve. Two tankers from the corporation take away the rest of the water.
The association is willing to treated more water if the corporation wishes to use it. “If the corporation officials increase the frequency of tanker trips from our complex, we will be happy to provide them more water,” Hariharan said.
The association is, however, reluctant to deal with private tanker operators, some of whom had approached it to buy the treated water. “Without knowing the end user, we do not want to sell the water to private tanker operators,” Hariharan said. The association now plants to plant saplings along roads in the area and water them using the treated water. The corporation officials have agreed to help, Hariharan added.
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