RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: In view of drinking water supply issues, Rajamahendravaram Municipal Corporation has formulated a summer action plan to provide safe drinking water to the denizens. Waterworks divisional engineer Chandrasekhar said an amount of `3 crore was allocated to plug leakages in pipelines.
The plan was prepared in the backdrop of rising temperature, leading to the River Godavari drying up.
During monsoon, Godavari receives heavy inflows. Last year, nearly 4,000 TMC of water was discharged into the sea from Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage. Currently, there is only one TMC water available in the barrage and no possibility of any inflows to the River till next monsoon. As a result, people of the city, particularly those living in upland areas, are facing water supply issues. On an average, RMC supplies 65 MLD water to the city.
There are 43,678 tap connections under the civic body’s purview. Old pipelines are being replaced with new ones in the quarry area, Padmavati Nagar, Narayanapuram, Sitampeta and Venkateswara Nagar, while new pipelines were laid in Morampudi and Godavari bund areas.
As many as 12 tankers are available at the RMC office to supply drinking water to upland areas. Areas facing acute water shortage include Ramdaspet, Simhachal Nagar, Ava Area, Barma Colony and quarry areas. Officials were asked to identify loopholes in the supply of water and submit a report to the authorities.
RMC sets up water intake points
Drinking water intake points were set up at Kotilingalapet, Puskhara Ghat and Dowleswaram. However, with the river drying up, pipelines are being adjusted, causing delay in supply of water to the residents. RMC is planning to set up water camps at Gokavaram bus stand and other areas, too