CHENNAI: In a bid to replenish depleting storage tanks during the summer, the Tamil Nadu Government has reached out to Andhra Pradesh to release Krishna water from the first week of May.
The Andhra government has agreed to the demand, officials from Water Resources Department said. Tamil Nadu had originally planned to seek Krishna water from January, but had decided to postpone it due to enough water in the four main reservoirs- Poondi, Cholavaram, Red Hills and Chembarambakkam - at that time.
The reason for the current fall in the storage tanks to nearly 74 per cent is due to high evaporation owing to scorching heat in April, officials said. According to official records, the combined water storage of the five reservoirs stands at 8,322 mcft, which was 8,888 mcft at the same time last year.
Also, notably, Thervoy Kandigai reservoir, which was exclusively constructed for augmenting drinking water supply to Chennai, reached its 100 per cent capacity, during rains in January, 2022. The reservoir, commissioned in November 2020, reached its full capacity multiple times over the last one year. However, not even a drop of water was used for supply.
A senior official from the Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) told TNIE there is enough water in other reservoirs (Chembarambakkam, Poondi, Red Hills and Cholavaram) and hence water from Thervoy Kandigai was not utilised.
Notably, over the past year, Metro Water gradually increased the drinking water supply to the city from 850 MLD to 1,000 MLD (millions litres per day) currently. However, the city’s requirement according to 2010 population, is 1,200 MLD.