COIMBATORE: Poor rainfall in the water catchment areas of the Siruvani Dam in Kerala has led to a reduction in water supplied to Coimbatore, with the TWAD Board scaling down the daily supply from around 65 million litres a day (MLD) last week to 55 MLD this week.
Officials attributed the reduction to the weak southwest monsoon in the catchment areas. The dam requires substantial rainfall to register a significant rise in its storage, but the region has received only limited showers so far this season.
"We need at least 50 to 100 mm of rainfall for the water level in the dam to rise significantly. However, we have been receiving only around 7 to 8 mm of rainfall this monsoon. As a result, both the water level and supply have declined," a senior TWAD Board official said.
As of Saturday, the water level at Siruvani stood at 26.7 ft, against the full reservoir level (FRL) of 50 ft. The reduced inflow has raised concerns over the city's drinking water supply, particularly as Siruvani remains an important source of drinking water for Coimbatore. Officials, however, said the current supply was being managed based on available resources.
Meanwhile, repair works to address seepage and prevent water leakage from the dam are yet to begin. The issue has been under discussion, with both Tamil Nadu and Kerala authorities working on plans to take up the required works.
Speaking to TNIE, a senior TWAD Board official said, "The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation recently paid around Rs 11 crore to the TWAD Board towards water charges. The Corporation has also submitted a report to the Tamil Nadu government seeking approval for a Rs 18-crore project to undertake repairs at the Siruvani Dam. At the same time, Kerala government officials are preparing a comprehensive report identifying the works required at the dam. Once the report is submitted, priority works will be identified and forwarded to the TWAD Board Managing Director for approval and allocation of funds."
The immediate priority is expected to be arresting seepage and preventing further water loss. Officials said the funds would be deposited with the Kerala authorities to take up the repair works immediately. With the southwest monsoon nearing its end, officials believe that the repair works can be taken up without major disruption once the necessary approvals and funding are secured.