The increase in discharge of water from Mettur Dam has brought a sigh of relief to the Tiruchi Corporation officials who have been worried over the dwindling yield from the city’s drinking water sources on the Cauvery river.
As per Chief Minister’s order, the water release from Mettur dam was stepped up to 5,000 cusecs on Monday from 2,000 cusecs in view of the Adi Perukku festival.
Since the current flow of water in the Cauvery is mainly for recharging the groundwater table in the river, where the Kambarasampettai Collector Well and Main Pumping Supply Station of the Tiruchi Corporation are located, the officials have stepped up measures to harness the water. Besides storing water at the check dam at Kambarasampettai, trenches have been dug up at various places to facilitate fast recharge of groundwater.
N.S. Prema, Corporation Commissioner, who held a meeting with senior officials to find ways to harness the water, told The Hindu that it was expected that the released water would reach Tiruchi on Thursday. Steps were taken to save the water released from Mettur. Men and machines were pressed into service to dig up trenches near the water sources. The idea was to recharge the groundwater table as quickly as possible. It would be enough for the Corporation to manage drinking water supply for three more months. Stating that the surprise rain that lashed Tiruchi on Monday had marginally helped to increase the yield, Ms. Prema said though there is not much problem in water supply in low lying areas, there were some issues in areas on higher plains due to sharp drop in the quantum of yield from Kambarasampettai well, Main Pumping Station and Pirattiyur Combined Drinking Water Supply Scheme. However, all out efforts were taken to ensure supply of water through tanker lorries. In addition to eleven tankers owned by the Corporation, four more private tanker lorries had been hired. Number of trips had also been increased. S. Nagesh, City Engineer, said water supply was being maintained in a few areas including Ramalinga Nagar, Kumaran Nagar, Woraiyur, Malaikottai, Marakadai, Puthur and others. Supply through tankers would be reduced once the situation improved.
