CHENNAI: Though the Northeast monsoon season is at its fag end, the city’s four major reservoirs have less than half their total capacity of water (11,057 mcft), raising concerns on whether Chennai would be able to face another tough summer.
Barring 2015, monsoon has failed to fill reservoirs since 2012, forcing the city to depend more and more on groundwater.
A Metrowater official said the monthly requirement of the city is around 1,000 million cubic feet (mcft). The current overall storage in the four reservoirs and Veeranam tank is nearly 5,900 mcft, half of the total capacity.
This should last six months, that is till June, said the official. Thereafter, it would depend on the Southwest monsoon that usually sets in July. The problem is the Southwest monsoon brings only moderate rainfall to Chennai.
On the positive side, Andhra Pradesh has started releasing 2,000 cusecs from Kandeluru dam since December 27. A Water Resources Department official said the water is expected to reach Poondi reservoir on New Year day. It is not clear yet on how long the water would be released. The quantum of realisation at Poondi is also uncertain because of pumping of water by farmers along the canal.
Hurdle for 5th reservior
The proposed fifth reservoir in Tiruvallur district, being created over 1,488 acres, is caught in a legal battle as land acquisition has been challenged
