The wait for those who have applied to the Coimbatore Corporation for water supply connection is likely to get longer this year as the water level in the Siruvani Reservoir is keeping the water distribution manager on tenterhooks. Data available with the Corporation indicates that it has over 4,000 applicants from across the five zones waiting for new water connection.
They will have to wait longer this year because the water level in the Reservoir as of July 10 is only at 13.45 feet as against the full reservoir level of 49.50 feet, say the city's water supply managers. Of the 4,000-plus applicants, around 1,000 each are from the East and West zones and other three – North, South and Central – have over 600 applications each.
The water supply managers say that the applicants wait may extend up to September when the South West Monsoon recedes and the Corporation has a fair idea of how much rain the Siruvani catchment has received and what has been its impact on the water level.
Thus far, the Siruvani catchment has seen only three 100mm-plus rain days. On Tuesday, the catchment received 97 mm and the impact of it and the rain in the past has been that the water level has touched the 13.45 feet mark.
At the start of the Monsoon season, the water level was close to touching the dead storage level.
The water supply managers say that though the water level is better than it was a month ago, the Corporation is not taking chances and its current distribution pattern – once in 10 days in Siruvani-fed wards – is likely to continue.
To make good the shortfall of Siruvani water, the Corporation is diverting Pilloor water from the Ramakrishnapuram tank on Sathyamangalam Road to the Siruvani tank on Bharathi Park Road.
The current freeze on issuing new water connection started sometime in the first week of March with Model Code of Conduct coming into force following the Election Commission of India announcing the dates for the Parliamentary election.
After the Commission declared the election results and the Code ceased to be in force, the Corporation temporarily lifted the freeze for a few days only to bring it back following a direction from the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Minister, the water supply managers add.