Rain pounded the catchment that helps water level go up in the Siruvani Reservoir.
According to sources in the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board and Coimbatore Corporation, the rainfall recorded in the Reservoir in the 24 hour that ended 8 a.m. Wednesday was 158 mm and in the Siruvani foothills (adivaram) was 47 mm.
This had helped the water level go up from 1.77 feet above the dead storage level to 4.19 feet, the highest ever increase in a day during this South West Monsoon season. As of July 1, the water level in the Reservoir stood at 1.64 feet above the dead storage level and since then there has been a gradual increase.
The lowest ever water level in the Reservoir after this summer stood at 1.34 feet above the dead storage level on June 21.
Given the poor monsoon over Kerala, at one time it looked like the Corporation would be forced to request the Kerala Government to allow it to tap the water below the dead storage level. But as the water level never touched the dead storage level, the Corporation did not have to take that chance.
The poor storage level in the Reservoir forced the Corporation to streamline supply and divert water from the Pilloor II drinking water supply scheme to Siruvani-fed areas.
The TWAD Board and Corporation sources said that the impact of Tuesday’s rain could be felt over the next two days as water would continue to flow into the Reservoir, rising the water level. On Wednesday too, the catchment was witnessing good rain, they added.