Enough water in Siruvani Dam to quench city’s summer thirst

Coimbatore: Ahead of the onset of southwest monsoon, water level in Siruvani Dam touched 15.42 feet against its full capacity 49.53 feet on Monday morning. According to officials, it would be enough to supply drinking water to residents till June 20.
Water level in the reservoir is eight feet more than the last year, an official with the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board said. “On a normal day, we would draw about 101 MLD water from the reservoir. Now, we have reduced it to 90 MLD, of which, 82 MLD is supplied to corporation areas and the rest to villages on the way. We would be able to draw water at least for another two to three weeks, by which time the district will receive southwest monsoon rain,” he told TOI.
According to the India meteorological department, monsoon is likely to make onset around June 3. “Catchment areas of the reservoir had received 254mm rainfall for three days from May 15. Water level increased by three feet because of the rain,” the official added.
More water is being supplied to residents compared to the previous years, a senior city corporation official said. “We have been supplying drinking water once in five to seven days. Only on emergency situations like pipeline damage and shutdown, water is supplied once in eight days. Bore water is supplied almost every day in core corporation area and once in every two days in added areas.”
“The total water requirement of the city is 245 to 250 MLD. We have been supplying 218 to 220 MLD through pipelines and the rest using water trucks,” he added.