Chennai:Even as the northeast monsoon gains momentum over Tamil Nadu, Chennai’s principal drinking water reservoirs continue to hold substantially less water than they did at this time last year, raising questions over the pace of replenishment of the city’s water reserves.
The five major reservoirs supplying Chennai together held 4,820 million cubic feet (mcft) of water on Wednesday, just 41 per cent of their combined capacity of 11,757 mcft. This was 5,188 mcft lower than the 10,008 mcft recorded on November 11 last year, according to Metrowater data.
The concern is that the strengthening of monsoon activity across the state has not translated into any significant replenishment of the city’s reservoirs so far. The reservoir report recorded no rainfall at the five lake locations on Wednesday, while the combined storage declined by another 17 mcft during the day. There was also no inflow through the Krishna water supply canal on the Tamil Nadu border.
Tamil Nadu and Puducherry had received 25.4 cm of rainfall between October 1 and November 9, against the seasonal normal of 24.3 cm, registering a 4 per cent surplus. The Regional Meteorological Centre has forecast further rainfall activity with a fresh low pressure system likely to develop over the southeast Bay of Bengal around November 13. However, the immediate rainfall forecast is more favourable for southern and delta districts and Chennai is likely to receive another spell of rain only later.
The deficit is particularly pronounced in Poondi and Chembarambakkam, which together account for nearly 3,935 mcft of the overall shortfall. Poondi has just 585 mcft of water, against the 2,708 mcft during the corresponding day last year, a deficit of 2,123 mcft. Its storage stood at only 18.11 per cent of its capacity.
Chembarambakkam, another major water source for Chennai, held 1,398 mcft, against 3,210 mcft last year, leaving a deficit of 1,812 mcft. The reservoir is 38.35 per cent full.
Cholavaram had 165 mcft water, against 777 mcft last year, a shortfall of 612 mcft, while Kannankottai-Thervoykandigai held 255 mcft of water, against 441 mcft, a deficit of 186 mcft.
Red Hills, the largest of the five reservoirs in terms of capacity, is relatively better placed with 2,417 mcft or 73.24 per cent of its capacity. However, its storage, too, is 455 mcft below last year’s level of 2,872 mcft.
The situation changes only marginally when Veeranam is included. Its storage stood at 928.75 mcft, against 978.20 mcft last year. The combined storage of the five city reservoirs and Veeranam is 5,748.75 mcft, or 43.48 per cent of their total capacity of 13,222 mcft. This is 5,237.45 mcft lower than last year’s 10,986.20 mcft.
The daily inflow and outflow figures also offer little indication of an immediate recovery. While Cholavaram received a marginal inflow of 2 mcft, Poondi recorded no net inflow. Red Hills lost 7 mcft, Chembarambakkam, 11 mcft and Veeranam, 17.2 mcft during the day.
Despite the poor reservoir position, Chennai’s daily water supply has not declined, thanks to alternative sources. Metrowater supplied 1,244.25 million litres a day on Wednesday, compared to 1,209.19 MLD during the corresponding period last year.
The contribution from the two Nemmeli desalination plants has increased. The 110-MLD plant supplied 100.02 MLD, against 49.04 MLD last year, while the 150-MLD plant supplied 100.88 MLD, against 92.60 MLD.
The figures underline Chennai’s growing dependence on desalination plants and other alternative sources to maintain daily supply even as its conventional reservoir reserves remain significantly below last year’s levels.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
