Gallons of drinking water went to waste after contract workers damaged the main pipeline carrying water to Ambur town, near Tirupattur, on Saturday.
Officials of the Ambur Municipality said a small group of workers were laying a new water distribution pipeline on Swamiyarmadam Main Road in Sowrashtra Nagar. They accidentally hit the 800-mm diameter pipeline, which brings water to Ambur town under the Hogenakkal Combined Water Supply Scheme, and damaged one of its joints.
The pipeline burst, resulting in thousands of litres of drinking water draining into the storm-water drain. The incident, which happened around noon, also affected traffic on the route. “The entire stretch was inundated due to the pipeline burst. Ambur is an arid region where water scarcity is a common civic problem,” said Mohammed Ifhan, a resident.
