COIMBATORE: Thousands of households across Coimbatore have been facing water shortage for a week as the supply from the Pillur Dam has been halted in view of the maintenance of the upstream Kundha Dam.
The interruption has severely affected several residential pockets, forcing residents to manage with minimal stored water and seek alternative arrangements.
The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) is carrying out the maintenance work at the Kundha Dam.
Under the Pillur drinking water project, water is drawn from the Bhavani River at Mettupalayam and distributed across the city at scheduled intervals. However, since the Kundha Dam, which is located upstream of Pillur Dam, is undergoing extensive maintenance, the supply under major drinking water schemes such as Pillur Scheme II, Pillur Scheme III and the KVV (Kavundampalayam-Vadavalli-Veerakeralam) combined water supply project has been disrupted.
What was initially expected to be a two-to-three-day suspension has now stretched beyond a week. Officials say that continuous rains in the dam's catchment areas due to the monsoon have slowed down the pace of work, further delaying restoration.
Residents in many parts of the city say they were left unprepared for such an extended disruption. "If the officials had informed us earlier about the supply cut and given us one final round of water supply before stopping it, we could have prepared better," said R Chandra, a resident of Kavundampalayam. "It has been more than a week since we received water. The authorities must take immediate steps to restore supply."
With the weather in Coimbatore turning cooler and receiving intermittent rain, many residents say the irony of "facing the heat" due to water scarcity has been particularly striking. For daily-wage workers, senior citizens and families with children, the prolonged shortage has caused significant hardship.
Responding to concerns, Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran told TNIE that TNEB's work is likely to be completed by Saturday evening.
"Since Pillur is the main source of drinking water for Coimbatore, the maintenance has affected a majority of the city. We have urged the electricity board to provide an intermittent water supply to ease the shortage. At the same time, we are managing the situation using other available sources," he said.
The CCMC and TWAD Board officials continue to monitor the situation, and residents await the resumption of regular water supply, hoping the worst of the disruption will soon be behind them.