Siruvani Dam water supply to Coimbatore cut amid poor rainfall

Poor rainfall in the catchment areas of the Siruvani Dam in Kerala has prompted the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD Board) to reduce the quantity of drinking water supplied to Coimbatore city, raising concerns over water availability as the southwest monsoon weakens.

The daily supply from the reservoir has been reduced from around 65 million litres a day (MLD) last week to 55 MLD this week. Officials attributed the cut to inadequate rainfall in the dam’s catchment areas and the resulting decline in inflow and storage.

Siruvani depends on sustained and heavy rainfall in its catchment to build up storage. However, the region has received only light showers during the current monsoon season. A senior TWAD Board official said the catchment needs around 50 mm to 100 mm of rainfall for the reservoir’s water level to rise substantially.

Instead, rainfall during the monsoon has remained at only about 7 mm to 8 mm, leaving inflows considerably below the levels required to replenish the reservoir. As of Saturday, the water level stood at 26.7 feet, against the full reservoir level of 50 feet.

The falling storage is particularly significant for Coimbatore, where Siruvani is one of the principal sources of drinking water. Officials said supply was being regulated according to the quantity of water currently available in the reservoir.

Meanwhile, proposed repair work to plug seepage and prevent further water loss from the dam has yet to begin. The Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments are coordinating to assess the condition of the reservoir, identify priority works and obtain the necessary administrative and financial approvals.

The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation recently cleared around Rs 11 crore in outstanding water charges payable to the TWAD Board. It has also submitted an Rs 18-crore proposal to the Tamil Nadu government seeking approval for repair and maintenance work at the reservoir.

Kerala government officials are preparing a comprehensive report on the condition of the dam and the repairs required. Once the report is submitted, officials will identify the most urgent works and forward the proposal to the TWAD board managing director for approval and allocation of funds.

Stopping seepage and preventing further loss of stored water will be the immediate priority. The required funds are expected to be deposited with the Kerala authorities, who will undertake the repair work.

With the southwest monsoon nearing its end, officials expect the repair work to proceed once the approvals are secured, with efforts aimed at ensuring that maintenance does not significantly disrupt drinking-water supplies to Coimbatore.

With IANS inputs