Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Siruvani dam set to overflow again

Special Correspondent

Rain resumes in catchment, brings good inflow Rain resumes in catchment, brings good inflow

COIMBATORE: After a week's break, it is raining again at the Siruvani dam catchment. Over the last couple of days, the dam received 10 mm rain and the Siruvani foothills three mm. Storage has crossed the full reservoir level (FRL) of 67.65 ft.

Official sources said on Thursday that the intake tower (for water supply) showed the level at 67.68 ft. This indicated yet another surplus that could occur any moment.

Even during the lull last week, storage was up to the FRL as the dam got appreciable inflow from the streams. The last rainfall reported was 15 mm on August 18.

Apart from the surplus, the civic body is happy that the inflow even after rain stopped has helped in maintaining the FRL. But no change in the supply schedule is planned.

The Corporation is not in favour of restoring daily supply that was stopped during the crisis in 2000. The alternate day supply begun that year was rescheduled to once in four days in 2002 as crisis every successive year worsened water situation in the city and suburbs.

Only in 2003, a link between Siruvani and Pilloor lines was established to divert 15 million litres of Pilloor water everyday to the scarcity-hit areas served by the Siruvani scheme.

Supply rescheduled

At the same time, supply was rescheduled to once in four days.

The dam surplussed last year and alternate day supply was restored. But the Corporation did not yield to the demand for daily supply, as it did not want to squander water.

This year too, the abundance is not leading to complacency. The civic body is very clear that it cannot afford daily supply as the abundance will be temporary. Water level will come down once the inflow stops.

Assuming that the North East Monsoon will help in raising the storage to the FRL, the officials are hopeful that the position will remain healthy till the end of summer next year.

Officials contend that there is no need to restore daily supply. While the World Health Organisation standards stipulate a supply of 110 litres per capita a day (lpcd), the present supply is 140 lpcd despite alternate day supply. In such a situation, daily supply will only amount to wastage, an official points out.

Another reason is that if daily supply is restored under the Siruvani scheme, it will have to be done under the Pilloor scheme also.

When alternate day supply suits both the Corporation and the public the former is firm that changes need not be made to the schedule.

The sources say austerity during abundance serves as a long-term investment to avoid scarcity when water level comes down in the dam.

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