A solution to leaking manholes?

CHENNAI: With heavy rains in the city causing manholes to leak, Metro Water officials here have had no option but to urge business establishments to construct diaphragm chambers. “The solid waste and other solids discharged by establishments such as hotels, restaurants, canteens, wedding halls and sweet stalls enter into the sewerage lines through inspection chambers. They then enter the manholes. This could be avoided if all the establishments build diaphragm chambers in the internal sewer line arrangement to avoid entry of solid waste into the sewerage system,” said a Metro Water source.The diaphragm chambers are structures constructed  on the sewer line inside the establishment premises. They act as a filter and retain the solid wastes, thus  preventing their entry into the sewerage system that has to be cleaned periodically. Construction of a diaphragm chamber costs about `15,000 and can be constructed by any of the civil contractors or masons, sources said.Metro Water officials also suggested that gratings be fixed in the terminal inspection chamber of multi-storied buildings. This, they said, would  prevent entry of solid wastes such as sanitary napkins, plastic covers and clothes into the sewerage system. “Residents of the multistoried buildings are requested to fix gratings in the terminal inspection chamber of the internal sewage disposal arrangement,” the government body said.   Even cattle yards are advised to avoid discharging cowdung into the sewerage system. They have been asked to construct  diaphragm chambers inside cattle sheds.