As the summer is likely to be merciless this year in all likelihood, the TWAD Board has approached the State government for release of funds for digging channels in the Tamirabharani to ensure stagnation of water around the infiltration wells since this exercise would increase the yield.
The TWAD Board, pumping 135 million liters of water a day from 113 infiltration wells in the district, quenches thirst of 28.45 lakh population in 1,973 habitations, including 1,939 villages, 29 town panchayats and 5 municipalities under 27 drinking water schemes executed for the benefit of these local bodies.
The demand for increased supply of drinking water to the residents is also going up. After hovering around 10% to 20% in increase of demand for drinking water in April and May, it is likely to go beyond 30% from June onwards.
However, the flow of water in the river is likely to dwindle steadily in the days to come as there is no rain in the catchment areas of the reservoirs.
“Water level in the Papanasam dam, the main drinking water source, is steadily falling though the reservoir had 139 feet water against its maximum capacity of 143 feet in December last. Now, the dam, due to the discharge of water for the ‘pisanam’ paddy season, has only 63 feet water. As the release of water from the dam to save the standing crop has to be sustained till the first week of March, the Papanasam dam will have water for only around 40 feet on March 15, which is not at all sufficient to meet drinking water requirements during rest of summer this year,” said a senior TWAD Board official here.
After the release of water from the dams is reduced in the wake of the end of paddy season, flow in the Tamirabharani would come down drastically. To strengthen the drinking water supply to the maximum possible extent with the available flow in the river, the TWAD Board has decided to dig channels in the dry bed of the river to bring water towards the infiltration wells.
“If there is dry sand around the infiltration wells, the quantity of water getting pumped from these sources will also be less. If water stagnates around the infiltration wells round-the-clock, it will increase the supply substantially. So we’ve decided to dig channels to ensure stagnation of water around the wells,” the official.
