CUDDALORE: The quantity of water being supplied from Cuddalore’s Veeranam Lake to the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board has been reduced from 70 cusecs to 30 cusecs following a decline in the waterbody’s storage level.
Veeranam Lake receives water through the Vadavar channel from the Lower Anicut. Last year, water reached the lake even before the Mettur dam opened in June, helping maintain the lake level through the summer and ensuring uninterrupted drinking water supply to Chennai. This year, however, Lower Anicut, from where water is released into the lake, has run dry.
According to official sources, the water level in the lake stood at 43.87 feet on Saturday against its full reservoir level of 47.50 feet. The lake holds 649 mcft of water against its storage capacity of 1,465 mcft. Officials said that while 70 cusecs had been supplied to Chennai for drinking water needs, the quantity has now been reduced to 30 cusecs owing to the fall in storage.
Public Works Department officials said the available water in the lake has been reserved exclusively for Chennai’s drinking water needs and is expected to be sufficient throughout June. They added that inflows into the lake are likely to increase if the Mettur dam is opened on June 12.
