Heavy rain pounded Siruvani catchments in the 24 hours that ended 8 a.m. Tuesday because the Siruvani Dam had recorded 190 mm rain and Adivaram 120 mm. According to S. Sampath Kumar, Executive Engineer, Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, the rain had helped increase the water level in the Dam by nearly six feet. At present the water level in the Dam stands at 12 feet.
Mr. Sampath Kumar said that following the increase in water level, the Board, as per the suggestion of Chief Engineer Bennet Dod Singh and Superintending Engineer N. Balakumar and Executive Engineer (in-charge) Iqbal, had planned to increase the supply. It had already increased the supply to around 60 million litres a day (mld). The Board ought to supply around 70 mld to the Coimbatore Corporation.
But following the decrease in water level in the Dam, that too well below the dead storage level, the Board was able to supply only 34 – 40 mld. This had gradually increased in the past few days owing to increase in water level in the Dam.
Sources in the Corporation said that such heavy rain usually increased the turbidity in water, which would be unfit for supply. Even if it were to be supplied, it would choke the filter bed. Under such circumstances, the Board released water into the river and resumed supply only when the turbidity decreased.
The sources added that the civic body would soon workout ways to increase water supply to the residents.
In Pilloor Dam, the water level stood at 95 feet as against the full reservoir level of 100 feet. Mr. Iqbal said that the Board drew 125 mld and of it, 65 mld was for the Corporation.
