Krishna water supply to Chennai likely to stop by September-end; WRD boosts Chembarambakkam reservoir storage

The proviso of Krishna h2o from Andhra Pradesh, which has been a lifeline for filling Chennai’s drinking h2o reservoirs, is apt to halt by this month-end.

To marque optimum usage of the disposable supply, the Water Resources Department (WRD) is focusing connected boosting retention astatine the Chembarambakkam reservoir. Officials of the WRD said the AP authorities are expected to halt h2o discharge from the Kandaleru reservoir to facilitate attraction enactment connected the Kandaleru-Poondi canal wrong their jurisdiction.

On Monday, the KP canal borderline successful Uthukottai, Tiruvallur district, received astir 567 cubic feet per 2nd (cusecs) of water. Krishna water, on with intermittent rainfall spells this season, has augmented retention successful the reservoirs, which are large sources of Chennai’s drinking h2o supply.

Among the 5 large reservoirs, retention successful three- Red Hills (91% of its capacity), Poondi (78%) and Kannankottai Thervoykandigai (90%) has reached a favourable level. Officials said a important information of Krishna h2o received astatine Poondi reservoir is present being diverted to Chembarambakkam to measurement up its storage, which presently stands astatine 43%.

Tamil Nadu’s superior rainy season, Northeast monsoon, is lone a period away. “We privation to amended reservoirs’ retention to a comfy level to conscionable adjacent year’s h2o demand, irrespective of monsoon rainfall,” said an official.

The full retention successful large drinking h2o sources, including the Veeranam tank, present stands astatine 9,169 cardinal cubic feet (mcft), which is astir 70% of their capacity. The section expects h2o resources to beryllium capable to support Chennai’s regular h2o proviso for astatine slightest 8 months.

Since July 1, Chennai has received astir 2,795 mcft of Krishna water. This is adjacent to 3 months of metropolis h2o proviso from the reservoirs, officials said.

The inter-State statement nether Krishna Water Supply task stipulates h2o merchandise successful 2 spells: July to October and January to April. Chennai has to beryllium provided 8,000 mcft during July and October.

Officials said the Cholavaram reservoir would beryllium acceptable to store h2o astatine afloat capableness this season, with 95% of betterment works completed. Similarly, repair enactment successful captious portions of Chembarambakkam reservoir has been finished to grip dense inflows during the monsoon.