Water will be released from the Mettur dam for 10 days beginning July 8 to meet the drinking water requirements in parts of Salem, Namakkal and Erode districts.
In a release, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa stated that Tamil Nadu did not receive normal rainfall through the south-west monsoon this year.
The dam could not be opened for irrigation so far.
It was brought to her notice that there was drinking water problem in certain areas in the three districts.
Hence, she ordered that water be released from the dam at the rate of 250 cusecs through the east channel and 150 cusecs through the west channel.
This would benefit the people of Mettur, Edappadi, Sankagiri, Tiruchengode and Bhavani taluks.