Sustained leakage of drinking water from the pressure valve at Pudhupatti near Manapparai has come as a blessing to the Poigaipatti village panchayat to harness the water for re-charging the groundwater table in the area.
Since the Combined Drinking Water Supply Scheme for the Melur pumping station in Madurai district was commissioned about eight months ago, there has been a leak from the pressure valve and the water has been flowing to a pond.
“Luckily for us, the pond, measuring about one acre in area, was dredged under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and deepened about four years ago, well prior to the commissioning of the water supply project,” says Muthaiah Gounder, village panchayat president.
The water table in the wells in the village panchayat were stabilising all through these months. Further, the quality of water from the wells has improved to a great extent, he said. More interestingly, it has become a picnic spot for youths from nearby villages particularly during the week-end. “A large number of youths from nearby villages throng the place,” Mr. Muthaiah Gounder says. The villagers ensure that the pond is free from pollution. “We are fully aware of the need to conserve water as we have tasted saline water. We do not allow dumping of plastic waste or other garbage in the vicinity of the pond,” he says indicating the cooperation he has been getting from the villagers.
