Date:29/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/29/stories/2008072957660100.htm

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Heavy rain may help water schemes

K.V. Prasad

Heavy inflow reported from Pilloor Dam
140 mm rainfall recorded for 24 hours till Monday morning

COIMBATORE: In less than a week, there seems to be a strong indication of a turnaround in the drinking water situation in the city. Though delayed, the south west monsoon is said to be turning vigorous in the catchments of the Pilloor and Siruvani dams that supply drinking water to the Coimbatore Corporation and local bodies in the suburbs.

Corporation officials said on Monday that heavy inflow was reported from the Pilloor Dam. Water was rising fast and it had only four feet to touch the full reservoir level of 100 feet. With heavy rain pounding the catchments, water would overflow very soon, they said. And, there was good news from the Corporation’s main source of concern: Siruvani Dam. It recorded 140 mm rain for 24 hours till Monday morning. “This is very heartening,” Mayor R. Venkatachalam said. After a near dry spell for more than a month till Thursday, heavy rain from Friday changed the situation from one of despair to that of hope. A water supply official said heavy rain from now to early September would be sufficient to fill the dam.

The monsoon appeared to have shifted to top gear suddenly on Sunday, the Mayor said. The dam had recorded 25 mm, 30 mm and 34 mm rain from July 25 to 27. “We have reports of inflow from the water falls. Heavy rain over the next 10 days will raise the water level even up to the full reservoir level (67 ft),” the Mayor said. The level on Monday was a little over 39 feet. And there was heavy rain throughout the day, he said. Gladdened by the torrential rain, the Corporation did not want to rush with the all-party meeting on the drinking water situation.

“We wanted to hold the meeting this week to discuss the dire need for a cut in supply. Now, we want to watch the situation first. If heavy rain continues, we many not need any contingency measure. But, caution must still be exercised,” he said. As for the Pilloor Dam, officials said the dam was expected to hold more water this time as silt was removed during summer.