Tough situation for Siruvani in Coimbatore
Despite some rain, water level in the Siruvani dam is low enough to cause concern.It is a sea change from the situation last year at the Siruvani Dam.Water managers in the Coimbatore Corporation point out that on this day last year, the dam recorded its first overflow for the year 2006.It was much earlier compared to the overflow in the previous two years.This year, however, presents a dismal picture.The water level keeps reducing despite some rain for over a week till Thursday. The water level is 23 ft as against the full reservoir level of 67.44 ft.The level has actually come down by four feet over the last fortnight and this has raised fears of further cut in water supply to the city and suburbs. South West Monsoon keeps the city and suburbs on tenterhooks.Despite some rain, water level in the Siruvani dam is low enough to cause concern.The water managers say that the present supply from the dam is 58 million litres a day (mld) as against the 87 mld actually provided for under the scheme.
One half of the city and the suburbs west of it are watching with concern the situation at the dam.Corporation sources say the rain over the last eight days has not helped much. Good rain during this period was 40 mm on June 8 and 32 mm on June 12 (see table). “We hope that the South West Monsoon will turn vigorous soon, probably over this weekend. This should help improve the situation,” says Mayor R. Venkatachalam.Engineers in charge of water supply say that if the situation turns worse, the Corporation may even have to think in terms of rescheduling supply to once in for four days from the present alternate day schedule.
Such a measure was resorted to in 2002 and 2003 after the water level in the dam hit dead storage.Though he does not specify how much cut the Corporation may have to make in supply, the Mayor says that some reduction will have to be made as part of austerity measures.The Corporation is, however, not considering any such move in the next few days as there are hopes and also indications that the monsoon will turn vigorous.
Asked about the present situation and the possibility of the monsoon not turning vigorous in the next few days, the Mayor admits that a cut in supply may be the only way out.“The situation has changed from the one where in we had said with confidence that there will be enough water for the next 40 days,” he says. The situation in the dam does not provide a sense of wellbeing, the Mayor points out.In such a situation, everything depends on how the people co-operate in judicious use of water. “We have been providing two to three mld of Siruvani water to the Pilloor scheme areas after a leak in the Pilloor main line and the shutdown for repairs a few days ago.This has been done despite the dipping water level in the Siruvani dam because the other areas cannot go without supply.”
Now, the people will have to be extremely judicious in using Siruvani water, says the Mayor.“We have asked the water supply personnel to increase the timings of bore well water supply so that Siruvani water is used only for drinking and cooking,” says the Mayor.“Please remember the dead storage days and do not waste drinking water,” he appeals to the people.
