Erode district, which lies in the western part of Tamil Nadu, is a region characterised by limited rainfall, dry climate and erratic water supply. For the approximately 11 lakh residents of the district who reside in its rural areas (as per 2011 Census), this irregular water supply is an even bigger concern.

According to the district administration, while the rural water demand in the district is 74 MLD (million litres a day), the water supplied is approximately 40 to 55 LPCD (litres per capita per day).

“This water is supplied from the Kaveri and Bhavani rivers through 20 Combined Water Supply Schemes (i.e. water from rivers) apart from local borewell sources. Currently, most villages in Erode district and elsewhere rely on overhead tanks (OHTs) for their water supply, sourced either from borewells or infiltration wells in nearby rivers,” explains District Collector (DC) Raja Gopal Sunkara, a 2015-batch IAS officer, in a conversation with The Better India.

DC Sunkara goes on to explain that in the Erode district, there are over 4,700 Over Head Tanks (OHTs) in rural areas whereas the number of tank operators is only 299.

Due to the reliance on tank operators, he explains the following problems were being faced:

1) High water losses: “In most villages, we see overflowing OHTs since the motors are not switched off on time,” explains DC Sunkara.

2) Unreliable timings of water supply: Since tank operators have to manually manage OHTs, water supply timings change from day to day depending on their availability and punctuality.

3) High electricity bill for the local body: “Since the motors are not switched off on time, the electricity bills of villages increase,” he notes.

4) Dry Run: Motors get damaged when they are run without water in the sump.

As K Renuva Devi, the Panchayat president of Kuttapalayam village explains, “Earlier, we were dependent on the tank operator, who used to manually operate the gate valves and motor pumps. There used to be overflow from the tanks.”

To address these failings of the OHT water supply system in Erode district, DC Sunkara has installed IoT devices in 50 habitations across 16 villages, which the district administration claims have not only reduced electricity bills by approximately 40% but also increased water supply by over 20%.

Before his current posting as DC of Erode in May 2023, DC Sunkara — a dual-degree holder from IIT-Kharagpur — worked as a commissioner in the neighbouring Coimbatore city municipal corporation where a 24/7 water supply scheme was being implemented, and as executive director of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB).

In both these........

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