Tamil Nadu: Monsoon showers yet to replenish Siruvani dam

COIMBATORE: Due to delayed southwest monsoon, there has been no significant improvement in the water level in Siruvani dam, a main source of drinking water for the city.
The water level stood at 15.30 feet on Saturday, compared to 26.18 feet on the same day last year, against the full reservoir level of 49.50 feet. As a result, the city continues to get water only once in 12 days against seven, before the water crisis started.
The Tamil Nadu water supply and drainage board (TWAD) expected rain a week ago, an official said. “But the catchment areas of Siruvani received no rain on June 14. On June 15, only 8mm rain was received, while the areas received 5mm and 13mm rain on June 16 and 17 respectively,” he told TOI.
“We expected good rain after the end of the first week of June, but are yet to see any considerable rain from the southwest monsoon season. Although water level remains at 15 feet, it is not much of a concern as water in the reservoir can last up to a month,” the official said. “We expect rain to intensify in two to three days. Once the water level improves considerably in the reservoir, water crisis in the city will end as the quantity of water released from the dam would go up.”
Officials of the Kerala government had reduced water release from the dam from 90 MLD to almost half in January. In February, Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin sought intervention of his Kerala counterpart Pinayari Vijayan to maintain storage at the full reservoir level to provide uninterrupted water supply to Coimbatore city.
Though talks between TWAD and Kerala irrigation department failed to bear fruit, the state government had announced high-level talks.