CHENNAI: To store excess water and reduce the risk of inundation during rainfall, a surplus water channel connecting the Chembarambakkam reservoir and Sikkarayapuram quarry will be constructed soon. The Water Resources Department (WRD) will soon float a tender for the same.
The channel will serve as a conduit and facilitate the flow of surplus water from the Chembarambakkam reservoir to the quarry near Mangadu, which is expected to store approximately 0.5 tmcft of water. “Currently, the excess water from Chembarambakkam is diverted to the Adyar River, which empties it into the Bay of Bengal.
Once the tender process is completed, we will commence construction of the 2.5-km channel. The project involves the construction of an underground ‘cut and cover’ section spanning 1800m, with the remaining portion being an open canal on the existing land,” said a WRD official.
The state government has already issued a government order in this regard. However, some modifications are required to commence work and a revised proposal has been submitted. A new G.O. is expected within a week, added the official.
A Chennai Metro Water official said, “We currently extract 10 MLD (million litres per day) of water from quarries and it is channelled into the Chembarambakkam water treatment plant. During the monsoon, this quantity is projected to increase to approximately 30 MLD.” Chennai’s daily water demand stands at 950 MLD, and the surplus channel from Chembarambakkam is expected to play a pivotal role in augmenting the city’s water supply, especially during the summer, the official added.