Date:23/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/23/stories/2008092359160400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Kandaleru water received at Poondi reservoir

K. Lakshmi

“Water will be stored till the level reaches 1,000 million cubic feet”

CHENNAI: Poondi reservoir, one of the four major reservoirs supplying drinking water to the city, has so far received about 70 million cubic feet of Krishna water from Andhra Pradesh.

According to Chennai Metrowater officials, the present realisation of water (released from Kandaleru reservoir) at Poondi since Sunday morning was equivalent to two days of drinking water supply to the city. At present, Chennai is being supplied with about 650 million litres of water daily (mld) of which 585 mld is provided for domestic consumption.

Officials of Water Resources Department said the water released from Kandaleru reservoir on September 17 reached the interstate border at Uthukottai on Saturday. Water had to travel 25 kms on the Kandaleru-Poondi canal from Uthukottai to reach Poondi reservoir where it is being stored for city supply.

On Monday, about 680 cubic feet per second (cusecs) was realised at Uthukottai. The officials expect the water flow in the canal to increase in the coming days with a steady discharge of 1,500 cusecs at the reservoir upstream.

The water received in Poondi reservoir would be stored till the level reaches 1,000 million cubic feet.

It would then be diverted to other reservoirs in Red Hills and Chembarambakkam as a measure to tackle the oncoming monsoon, an official said.