At 50p/litre, Mannady units sell untreated water to thirsty clients
TIMES NEWS NETWORK 25.03.2018
Chennai: In parts of Chennai where Metrowater supply islimited and packagedwater unaffordable, residents are turning to the unorganised sector to meet their daily drinking needs. At least 25 units selling water have mushroomed in the neighbourhoods of Mannady over the last decade, offering a 20-litre pot of untreated groundwater for a mere ₹10.
At Shankar Water, a 10*10 feet unit in Mannady, residents begin queuing up early in the morning with 20-litre plastic pots. For a 14,000-litre load of water, private tankers charge about ₹2,000. Water selling units on Mint Street, Broadway and Mannady source water from private suppliers who bring them groundwater pumped from wells near Red Hills. “We have two 7,000-litre tanks set up at two different units. Water lorries fill these tanks every morning,” Shankar of Shankar water said.
It’s a win-win situation. Vendors make a handsome profit and customers are only too happy with the price. Sale of water in the unorganised sector, according to Broadway residents, has picked up over the last five years in the area and in surrounding neighbourhoods where groundwater has turned salty. However, not all residentsusethiswater for drinking. Sankar Thambu Chetty Street resident and homemaker R Parimalam said, “We only use water from these neighbourhood units for cooking and other nondrinking purposes. For drinking, we buy packaged water which is priced at ₹30 per 20-litres.”
Shankar admits that there is no water treatment mechanism at his unit. “We only have a mesh filter at the bottom of thewater tank to remove sand particles. Water at our unit tastes better than that the one supplied by Metrowater, which smellsof chlorine,” hesaid.
Water vendors who have set up shop near Chennai Central sell a 1-litre bottle of untreated groundwater water for ₹3. Vendors also offer boiled water for ₹5 per litre to those visiting the genreal hospital nearby. Similar shops have come up outside Government Hospital for Women and Children, Egmore.
CHEAP AND EASY: At least 25 units selling water have mushroomed across Mannady over the last decade
TIMES NEWS NETWORK 25.03.2018
Chennai: In parts of Chennai where Metrowater supply islimited and packagedwater unaffordable, residents are turning to the unorganised sector to meet their daily drinking needs. At least 25 units selling water have mushroomed in the neighbourhoods of Mannady over the last decade, offering a 20-litre pot of untreated groundwater for a mere ₹10.
At Shankar Water, a 10*10 feet unit in Mannady, residents begin queuing up early in the morning with 20-litre plastic pots. For a 14,000-litre load of water, private tankers charge about ₹2,000. Water selling units on Mint Street, Broadway and Mannady source water from private suppliers who bring them groundwater pumped from wells near Red Hills. “We have two 7,000-litre tanks set up at two different units. Water lorries fill these tanks every morning,” Shankar of Shankar water said.
It’s a win-win situation. Vendors make a handsome profit and customers are only too happy with the price. Sale of water in the unorganised sector, according to Broadway residents, has picked up over the last five years in the area and in surrounding neighbourhoods where groundwater has turned salty. However, not all residentsusethiswater for drinking. Sankar Thambu Chetty Street resident and homemaker R Parimalam said, “We only use water from these neighbourhood units for cooking and other nondrinking purposes. For drinking, we buy packaged water which is priced at ₹30 per 20-litres.”
Shankar admits that there is no water treatment mechanism at his unit. “We only have a mesh filter at the bottom of thewater tank to remove sand particles. Water at our unit tastes better than that the one supplied by Metrowater, which smellsof chlorine,” hesaid.
Water vendors who have set up shop near Chennai Central sell a 1-litre bottle of untreated groundwater water for ₹3. Vendors also offer boiled water for ₹5 per litre to those visiting the genreal hospital nearby. Similar shops have come up outside Government Hospital for Women and Children, Egmore.
CHEAP AND EASY: At least 25 units selling water have mushroomed across Mannady over the last decade
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