With no perennial river flowing by, Visakhapatnam, the largest city in Andhra Pradesh with a number of major industries, is solely dependent upon sources of water that are quite distant from it.
The two major sources are the Yeleru reservoir from which water flows through the 156-km canal and the Raiwada reservoir, 58-km away, from which 120 MGD and 27 MGD are drawn respectively.
However, from both the reservoirs water is carried in open canals, resulting in loss due to evaporation and pilferage, and the actual realisation is about half of the release at the source.
When levels are low in Yeleru, water is pumped from the Godavari Lift Irrigation scheme at Kateru.
Among the five other sources of water are Thatipudi (56-km, 9 MGD) and Meghadrigedda (20-km, 9 MGD) reservoirs.
Against the standard supply of 150 litres per capita per day, the GVMC provides only 120 LPCD. While the present domestic and industrial demand is 82 MGD, the supply is 66 MGD, with a yawning deficit of 18 MGD — about 10 MGD and 8 MGD less for domestic and industrial sectors.
The industrial supply is managed by the Visakhapatnam Industrial Water Supply Company, for which GVMC Commissioner is the Chairman. Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, APIIC, and NTPC are the other stakeholders.
Yeleru crucialWhenever a scarce situation arises, the Yeleru canal, which is the mainstay of supply, turns crucial for industries as well as the GVMC, and the municipal corporation has to do a balancing act. Sometimes, demand for irrigation is also met from it.
The GVMC supplies 15 MGD to 73 other industries that are bulk users from other sources.
GVMC’s long-pending plan to lay a pipeline from Yeleru at an estimated cost of Rs.1,900 crore has been declared unviable by a team of Engineers-in-Chief, particularly in view of the Polavaram canal that will supply 400 MGD.
A detailed project report for the pipeline from Raiwada is approved under the JNNURM, but awaits the announcement of a new urban mission.
