Metrowater Hires Consultant to Improve Chennai’s Sewerage Network

A consultant hired by Metrowater is expected to complete the study of Chennai’s sewerage network by November, aiming to address recurring issues of choked sewer pipelines, water contamination, and sewage overflows, particularly during the northeast monsoon.

The consultant will assess the existing condition of the city’s decades-old sewerage infrastructure and recommend improvements, including upgrading pumping stations, pipelines, and treatment plants. Metrowater’s sewerage system comprises 4,500 km of pipelines, 302 pumping stations, and 13 treatment plants.

The study will provide solutions to aging infrastructure and inadequacies in the sewage collection network, aiming to modernize the entire system. Currently, 90% of pipes in the deep sewer network are made of cast iron. The agency also plans to desilt sewers using machinery at night before the monsoon to reduce sewage overflow and blockages.