VISAKHAPATNAM: As part of its water conservation measures, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has proposed to cut around 25 per cent of its supplies from Tatipudi and Raiwada reservoirs to industries from December 1 due to deficit rainfall this monsoon season. The GVMC has already issued a notification mentioning the industries, which will be affected due to reduction in water supply. The municipal corporation is likely to lose `10 crore revenue due to cut in water supply.
The industrial production may also be affected with the cut in water supply. The water levels in major water sources of the GVMC are fast declining as there has been no rainfall for the past few months. Mudasarlova, Gosthani and Gambheeram water sources are reaching the dead storage level.
The depletion of groundwater table has also become a major concern for the GVMC. The Municipal Commissioner has already submitted a report on the water shortage in the Port City to the State government. At present, the GVMC has 1.2 lakh domestic tap connections. The number of semi-bulk water supply connections is 3,200, which include apartments, group houses and commercial complexes.
Vizag Steel Plant and other industries are getting water supply through the Visakhapatnam Industrial Water Supply Company (VIWSCO). It is providing 35 to 40 million gallons per day (MGD) of water to Vizag Steel Plant. It is mainly getting Godavari water through Yeleru canal.
The GVMC supplies around 16 MGD of water to more than 75 major industries. As the government is not ready to reduce the drinking water supply to people, the GVMC has decided to cut bulk supply of water to consumers and restrict the supply to 12 MGD. “As of now, there is no short supply of water even for industrial units. The proposed 25 per cent cut in supply will mainly affect the industries, which are getting water from Tatipudi and Raiwada reservoirs,” a GVMC official said.
“The situation seems to be grim as there has been no rainfall in Vizag and its surrounding areas for the past three months. Our only hope is Yeleru, which is getting Godavari water from the Purushothapatnam Lift Irrigation Project,” said N Jaganmohan Rao, advisor to VIWSCO.HPCL, Jindal and some other major industries are likely to be affected with the cut in water supply by the GVMC. “We are discussing measures to overcome the impending water crisis,” a HPCL official told TNIE.
The situation will improve if the district receives rainfall before the end of the year. In the meantime, we are taking up water conservation measures in a big way to ensure that the drinking water supply to households is not affected,” a GVMC official said.