KAKINADA: In a significant step towards a sustainable solution to meet the drinking water needs of its growing population, the Kakinada Municipal Corporation (KMC) has announced a new project under the Amrutha scheme.
With a recently enhanced allocation of Rs 256 crore, the initiative aims to draw water from the Yeleswaram Reservoir to the city through a 45-km pipeline.
Kakinada city depends on two key storage sources: Aratlakatta summer tank in Kakinada Rural mandal and the Maharshi Sambamurthy tank in Samalkot. The aging infrastructure and silt accumulation have reduced their efficiency, prompting KMC to seek alternative, more reliable sources.
Kakinada, a smart city with a population of 3.26 lakh and over 90,000 public tap connections, receives 45 million litres per day (MLD) from the Victoria Water Plant.
The water is pumped from Aratlakatta, filtered, and then distributed to 17 overhead tanks across the city. Another 40 MLD is treated at the Sashikant Nagar filtration plant, which receives water from Samalkot through a network passing Achampet Junction and Sarpavaram. This supply is distributed to overhead tanks in Gaigolupadu, Venkatnagar, Sambamurthynagar, Dummulapeta, Sanjaynagar, Sashikant Nagar, and Vidyut Nagar.
With future expansion plans and the unresolved merger of six villages-Turangi, Indrapalem, Valasapakala, Vakalapudi, Ramanayyapeta, and Cheediga-into the corporation, the demand is expected to rise further.