Despite the implementation of water restrictions last week, large swathes of the district that bank on the Vamanapuram river for water are heading towards a major crisis.

If the summer rains continue to play truant, lakhs of people residing in the Varkala and Attingal municipalities and 28 adjacent panchayats will be trapped in a crisis in April itself, senior officials of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) said on Sunday.

A frantic KWA had announced water supply restrictions last week after the water level in the Vamanapuram river - the chief water source for the region - dipped alarmingly. But even these may not may not be enough to stave off the looming crisis. Such is the situation here that, on Sunday morning, the fall in level forced the KWA to suspend pumping at the raw water pump house at Arattukadavu.

“Our sources here are fast drying up. The crisis is so severe that the situation could turn even worse if the summer rains get delayed,” Suresh Chandran, Superintending Engineer (Thiruvananthapuram circle), said.

Switching to troubleshooting mode, KWA has started sourcing water from the Lower Meenmutti weir maintained by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).

“This has improved supply to Aruvippuram. It is also expected to improve the situation at Manickal and Kilimanoor,” Mr Suresh Chandran said. The decision to source water from Meenmutti was taken after discussions between the Additional Chief Secretary (Water Resources) and the Power Secretary.

Lowest rainfall

According to the IMD, Thiruvananthapuram is among the districts that have received the lowest amount of rainfall this summer. Rainfall deficiency has been pegged at 99 per cent, with the district receiving a measly 0.2 mm rainfall against 43.4 mm expected between March 1 and April 3. Normally, KWA pumps 56 million litres a day (MLD) from the Vamanapuram river to Attingal and the 17 panchayats in the Attingal sub division area and 19 MLD to Varkala and its neighbouring panchayats. An additional 2 MLD is pumped to these areas under the Rural Water Supply Scheme.

City in safer zone

On the other hand, the city region covered by Thiruvananthapuram corporation and the southern regions of the district that depend on the Karamana and Neyyar rivers are in a relatively safer zone, KWA officials said. The Peppara reservoir has adequate water for another 90-100 days, which will suffice for the summer.

Nonetheless, the situation could turn bleak if the southwest monsoon fails to put up a robust performance this year.

While supply is far from perfect in some elevated areas in the city, this is mostly on account of pressure differences and the increase in overall summertime consumption, KWA officials said. KWA had announced an additional 10 MLD for the city region last week from its Aruvikkara facility. Of this, the pumping of 5 MLD has begun. Another 5 MLD will be added in a day or two, taking the total city supply to 280 MLD.