Krishna water reaches Poondi lake

Around 1.30 am on Tuesday, water released from Kandaleru reservoir trickled in to Poondi reservoir, a day after it had reached zero point in Oothukottai, on Monday. Poondi reservoir was receiving around 20 cusecs, against the 45 cusecs realized at zero point. 

Tamil Nadu is entitled to receive around 8 tmcft during January – June period and the remaining 4 tmcft during the other half of the year from Andhra as per the Telugu Ganga Agreement accord reached between the two states. Last year, TN had only received around 3 tmcft owing to a failed monsoon and near drought situation in both states, mainly in catchments of Kandaleru that almost left the reservoir feeding Chennai parched. 

WRO engineers who were confident that the inflow would rise steadily in a few days told DT Next that they were unsure of quantum of water Andhra would supply as the reservoir level in the neighbouring state was not so encouraging. Kandaleru reservoir, from where water is released for Poondi Lake, only has a little over 17 tmcft, which is marginally higher than last year’s 13 tmcft. “Storage is not so good even there. We are not sure how much they would release this year, but it is good that they have released water without us persuading them,” said a senior WRO officer requesting anonymity. 

Unlike last year, Chennai might not have to brace up for acute water shortage come summer, courtesy the promising start to northeast monsoon. With 4.9 tmcft jointly stored in the four city reservoirs plus 100 mld each from the two desalination plants (Minjur and Nemmeli) and supply of 77 cusecs from a brimming Veeranam, the city should not face major water crisis in the coming months. However, chances of Chennai metro Water restoring the average daily supply to 830 mld (million liters per day) appear bleak at the moment.