The original purification initiative remains stalled as automated dispensing units function in only a few locations, according to Deccan Chronicle.
Residents in Chennai are urging the TVK government to revive the defunct Amma drinking water purification initiative, according to a report by Deccan Chronicle. The original scheme, established in 2016 by then chief minister Jayalalithaa, provided free purified water to approximately 20,000 families through 50 centres.
The Chennai Corporation set up these centres at a total cost of Rs 1.50 crore, with each centre costing Rs 3 lakh. Under the programme, 400,000 litres of water were distributed, allowing households to draw 20 litres via smart cards. The facilities were later neglected following the Covid-19 pandemic and a change in government.
A water supply board official stated that the scheme has come to a standstill because the formal handover of management from the Chennai Corporation to the water supply board was never completed. Although a resolution was passed to transfer management following complaints of water being sold to hotels, the existing three-year contract has not been cancelled.
In place of the original centres, the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) inaugurated 50 automated dispensing units in June 2025 at a cost of Rs 6.04 crore. These units were placed in areas such as hospitals, parks, and railway stations by then chief minister M.K. Stalin, but they are currently functional in only a few locations.
One Chennai resident noted that families are forced to pay between Rs 30 and Rs 40 for 20-litre private water cans because board-supplied water is frequently contaminated. The official added that the government would need to decide on the existing arrangement before the original centres could be reopened.
