To store every drop when the clouds open

CHENNAI: For the second consecutive year, a massive volume of water has been wasted due to a lack of storage capacity in the State.

Despite incessant showers this year, storage of water has been abysmally low, due to the lack of adequate number of catchment areas and reservoirs in the State.

To increase storage of drinking water, and improve sustenance, the Water Resources Department (WRD) has planned to construct 4 more reservoirs, which will supply drinking water for the city. It’s expected to be functional in the next two years, the WRD said.

As Chennai received 884 mm rainfall in the last two months, the department was able to store 0.4 TMC in a stone quarry near Chembarambakkam. The department ensured that the work for new reservoirs would begin this year.

But it was halted due to delay in funds and tendering process. This has led to huge loss of rainwater this year, as Greater Chennai (Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram) continues to receive intense spells.

“The government has instructed to submit the proposal to construct new reservoirs in the city’s neighbourhood such as Ramenjeri, Nemam, Tiruninravur and Sriperumbudur, which will become some of main sources of drinking water for the city. We’re awaiting funds from the government,” said a senior WRD official.

He added that the work is expected to begin next year and the reservoirs will be functional within the next two years. The city will have nine reservoirs including the existing dams.

Also, the new reservoirs are going to be constructed to prevent flooding during excess rainfall. When water bodies overflow, the new reservoirs would hold the quantum before it flows into the city. They would be able to store at least 8 TMC of water from the existing water bodies in the city. In addition, the department has sent a proposal to enhance Poondi reservoir by two feet.

At present, the reservoir stores 3 TMC. After enhancement, it’d store additional 1 TMC of water. During the northeast monsoon, the city received 16% more than the average rainfall.

The department was able to store 0.4 TMC recently.

“A 100-foot deep stone quarry was identified near Chembarambakkam. During excess rainfall this year, we saved a good amount of water. In the subsequent years, if we follow new methods, we’d able to store water whenever the city received excess rainfall,” said the official.

On the other hand, one of the main reasons for inundation during the seasonal rainfall is that the State had failed to maintain surplus canals. When the reservoirs reach their full storage capacity, the water discharge would inevitably increase. This led to flooding in the low-lying areas.

If the department increased the capacity and strengthened the bund, both the State and city would be able to store the excess water discharged from the existing reservoirs.

The 5 reservoirs in the city have at least 10 TMC of water, which would be sufficient to supply drinking water tothe city for a year, pointed out the WRD officer.

“Conservation of water has been a long pending demand of the ecologists. Though the government moots the idea of constructing reservoirs, the need to deepen our ponds and existing lakes is imminent,” opined naturalist, and an avid bird watcher N Sriram. “We focus more on construction of reservoirs and fail to protect the catchment areas. The longterm goal should be to protect catchment areas and meikall poromboke lands, which stores water during the monsoon.”