The ongoing strike of electricity employees is likely to hit the water supply in the city badly in the days to come. The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has already limited the water supply to once in a day as against usual practice of twice a day.
The power supply, though erratic, used to be there during day time till a day ago.
The electricity employees JAC announced a power cut of eight hours from Tuesday onwards. The power cut compels the VMC authorities to take up the water works like pumping, water filtration etc during night only. “We have a dedicated feeder for K.L. Rao Head Water Works. So there is no impact as of now. The VMC is taking all measures to ensure that the people do not suffer,” says Municipal Commissioner G. S. Pandadas. The worst affected are those living in hilly areas. Water was being supplied to them using boosters, which run on power. Of the total 20 boosters used in the circle-I for water supply, 18 are used for the pumping of water with high pressure to hilly areas like Vidyadharapuram. Not less than 2 lakh people live on hilly slopes in the city. The VMC is using around 25 boosters in the city including the SRR College area and Machavaram etc. The VMC authorities fear that the problem would be severe if the power cut continues as the pumping of water to reservoirs and water drawal, treatment etc. would also be affected. As of now, the situation at K L Rao Head Water Works was not alarming as uninterrupted power was ensured.
Though the Head Water Works has a dedicated feeder, the officials are skeptical about its usage in view of the strike. The total water supply in the city is around 50 MGD per day. It includes 4 MGD supply from 10 MGD Ramalingeswara Nagar plant. The VMC used to supply 160 LPCD in the city. Now it has fallen to 130 to 135 LPCD.
