When Pillur Dam overflows, taps run dry in Kovai city
COIMBATORE: As if poor road conditions and much worse solid waste management works were not enough, the people of Coimbatore city have to put up with irregular drinking water supply too. The supply to the city had to be suspended for nearly three days in June during heavy rains due to constraints in drawing water from the Bhavani River under the Pillur 3 Water Supply Improvement Scheme after the shutters were opened and the water flowed out.
Under the Pillur Scheme 3, water is drawn from the Bhavani Barrage-1 near the Pillur Dam in Mettupalayam. The project aims to supply 178.30 MLD of water to the newly incorporated areas under the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) limits as well.
During the rainy season, when the Pillur Dam is about to reach its full storage level of 100 feet, the surplus water is released from the dam. When over 10,000 cusecs of water is released from the dam, all the eight shutters of the Bhavani Barrage-1 are opened to prevent floods.
When the shutters are open, the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board can't draw water from the barrage for the Pillur Scheme 3, forcing the suspension of water supply for over three days.
This issue was identified only recently by the TWAD Board and the CCMC which had executed the project
"The recent rains have thrown the spotlight on a major water supply issue in Pillur Scheme 3. Water from Pillur Scheme 1 is no longer supplied to Coimbatore and has been diverted completely to Tiruppur, ever since the Pillur Scheme 3 has been implemented. And with the officials not able to draw water from the river during the rainy season, water supply has been severely affected," said V Kathirvel, CCMC North Zonal Chairperson.
With all 20 wards in the North Zone of the city dependent on the Pillur Scheme 3, the recent issue has raised concerns over water supply during the monsoon season. "Despite a huge amount of water running through the river, we are unable to trap it for drinking water supply."
Speaking to TNIE, CCMC Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran said, "Only during the time of floods the shutters of the barrage are opened to release the surplus water flown from the dam. Pillur Scheme 3 was designed in a way to trap and draw water from the river when the shutters of the barrage are closed. However, during a disaster, we can't do much. Meanwhile, we have asked the TWAD Board officials to conduct a study and identify an alternate method to draw water for the project during the rainy season."
A senior official from the TWAD Board (Pillur Division) explained that only if water is at the minimum well level of 6 metres, water can be drawn from the barrage and opening the shutters during the flood times will make the water flow faster to the river bed, which makes it impossible to pump water.
"A study is being conducted to sort out the issue at the earliest. Only when over 10,000 cusecs of water are released from the Pillur Dam, the shutters of the Bhavani Barrage are opened. To address the problem, we are planning to install an additional pipeline for about 110 metres. A proposal in this regard is being prepared and will be submitted to the government soon for funds and approval," added the sources.