Water-level in the Krishnaraja Sagar dipped to a 10-year low of 64.78 ft at 6 a.m. on Friday. It was 65 ft on May 10, 2003. The full-reservoir level is 124.8 ft.
According to sources in the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd. (CNNL), the inflow was at the rate of 225 cusecs at 6 a.m. on Friday and the outflow at the rate of 1,153 cusecs.
The water-level in the corresponding period last year was 88 ft, an official in the CNNL told The Hindu .
The CNNL is releasing around 1,000 cusecs to Bangalore every day to meet the drinking water requirement. Mysore, Ramanagaram and Mandya districts too are getting drinking water from the KRS.
The reservoir reached the dead storage level of 74 ft in the third week of March. But, water can be released from the reservoir up to 60 ft.
“Beyond 68 feet, the water is not ideal for drinking as it contains dust, silt and other waste. However, the department has been supplying water to the four districts even after the water-level dipped to 64.78 ft,” an officer attached to the Engineering Regulation Section (Gauging), Irrigation Department, said.
Officials were bracing up for some tight steps on water rationing which might become inevitable in the coming days, he added.
