The Tiruchi City Corporation has taken steps to build diaphragm chambers in the underground drainage (UGD) network in residential areas to prevent clogging of drains.
Drains overflowing because of frequent blockages has become common in many areas of the city. Indiscriminate dumping of plastic waste, sanitary napkins, and other non-biodegradable material, which enter the sewer lines, caused blockages and affected the entire system, besides posing a health hazard.
In a bid to solve the problem, about 20,000 underground drainage connections in the densely populated residential areas, including Palakkarai, Bheema Nagar, Cantonment and Varaganeri, will be provided with diaphragm chambers.
“Since there are frequent bursts of sewer lines and manhole leaks, we have decided to facilitate diaphragm chambers as part of the UGD revamping project. This would prevent frequent blocks in the sewers and inundation on road,” said a senior Corporation official.
The chambers are square boxes and measure around 1.25 feet in length and width and over one foot in depth. The sewage from houses will be collected in boxes, and the wastewater will be filtered.
In April 2023, chambers were built on a pilot basis for residential UGD connections in Woraiyur and Thillai Nagar localities. The civic body made it mandatory for commercial establishments, including hospitals, hostels, and bulk waste generators, to build diaphragm chambers to filter non-biodegradable items while discharging liquid waste.
According to officials, the sewage from the houses will first flow into the chambers before joining the drainage network. This would help identify houses that dump solid waste in the sewers. Separate boxes will be provided for each house. In the case of properties that do not have adequate space inside their compound, chambers would be constructed in front of the house. Gated communities can build such structures, proportionate to the number of flats on their premises, the official added.
