City residents are unlikely to face shortage of piped drinking water for the next few months, with copious rain bringing the water level to its maximum at Peppara dam, the sole source of drinking water to the city, on Friday.
The Kerala Water Authority said the water level on Friday stood at 104.15 metres (above mean sea level) with the maximum storage level of the dam being 104.5 m.
Second yearThe heavy inflow to the dam from the catchment areas will take the water level to the maximum by Saturday. The present level of water is sufficient to meet the city’s water requirement for the next 128 days. This is the second consecutive year that the dam has reached its maximum level, the official said.
Heavy rain in the catchment area had increased the inflow to Peppara in the past two days and it started overflowing by Friday morning, bringing the water table in Aruvikkara reservoir downstream to 46.5 m against the maximum capacity of 46.63 m. Since morning, one shutter of the reservoir was raised by 80 cm to maintain the level, the official said.
Hydel projectThe Kerala State Electricity Board’s 3 MW hydroelectric power project, situated alongside the dam, has started functioning continuously from Friday morning.
Heavy rain battered the city and adjoining areas on Friday, disrupting normal life. The city received 37 mm of rain in the 12 hours ending 8.30 p.m. on Friday.
