Though there have been moderate rain in Udupi city for the last days, it would take at least a couple of days for the drinking water situation to ease. This is because though there have been rain here, there has not been enough rain upstream of the Swarna at Mundli and Karkala. The Swarna, which takes its birth in the Western Ghats, flows close to Karkala town and a dam has been constructed at Mundli against the river to meet the drinking water needs of the town. From there, the Swarna flows down to Yennehole, Shiroor, Puttige and to Baje village, where a dam is constructed against it from where water is supplied to Udupi city.
Sources in the Udupi City Municipal Council told The Hindu on Thursday that water from the Swarna had reached Mundli. The dam there had to get reasonably filled. Only after that, water will be released from there and it would take a couple of days for it to reach Baje dam.
But if it rains heavily near Karkala, water may reach quickly. Till water reaches Baje dam, water rationing in Udupi city will continue, the sources said.