CHENNAI: With the northeast monsoon officially setting in, even reservoirs like Cholavaram and Chembarambakkam, which were bone dry a month ago, have started to fill up. This has, in turn, prompted Chennai Metro Water officials to increase water supply to the city by October end.
Thanks to timely Krishna river water supply, combined water levels of four reservoirs stand at 1,603 Mcft, a little more than the levels on the same day last year. The city is currently supplied with 525 Million Litres per Day (MLD) of water and by this month end, officials from Metro Water said supply is likely to be increased to 625-650 MLD.
“Tail-end localities in each zone will get increased supply in their pipes. Now that the TTRO plant at Kodungaiyur is functioning, there is more water available for distribution. As reservoirs fill up, we will slowly increase supply to touch 830 MLD, which is the usual quantity supplied to the city during non-drought periods,” said a senior Metro Water official.
Officials from the Water Resource Department said there has been a 10% increase in water levels at Cholavaram, which solely depends on rainwater and water from its catchment area. Chembarambakkam, on the other hand, has a current storage of 22 Mcft and officials said as heavy rains are expected in the coming weeks, there is a good chance that water levels will cross the transferable mark, to supply water from here to South Chennai localities.
“Poondi is currently receiving 100 cusecs of Krishna water from Kandaleru reservoir. As there was only scanty rainfall near Chembarambakkam in the past few days, there has only been a marginal increase. But this will improve in the coming months,” said an official from WRD.