Chennai Receives Increased Krishna Water Inflow at Uthukottai
Chennai began receiving an increased flow of Krishna water from Andhra Pradesh on Monday, helping replenish the city's rapidly declining water reserves. The entry point of the Kandaleru-Poondi canal at Uthukottai in Tiruvallur district received nearly 390 cubic feet per second (cusecs) of water, marking the highest single-day quantum recorded during the current spell.
The increased Krishna water supply comes at a critical time when the Southwest monsoon has failed to bring adequate rainfall to build up storage in the five major reservoirs that contribute the main share of Chennai’s drinking water supply. Officials from the Water Resources Department (WRD) stated that the city's reservoirs, including the facility at Poondi, currently hold a combined storage of 44.83% of their total capacity of 11,757 million cubic feet (mcft). The rise in Krishna water inflow will help maintain reservoir levels and ensure a continued supply of drinking water to the city.
The enhanced flow follows a recent visit by a delegation of officials from Tamil Nadu, representing both the Water Resources Department and Chennai Metrowater, to Andhra Pradesh to request an increase in Krishna water discharge. Water from the Kandaleru reservoir in Andhra Pradesh is managed to cater to the drinking water requirements of Kalahasti, Rapur, Tirupati, and Chennai.
Andhra Pradesh officials had previously assured Tamil Nadu authorities of a minimum release of 400 cusecs of Krishna water. According to WRD officials, maintaining a steady inflow of 400 cusecs will increase the combined storage in Chennai's reservoirs by approximately 1,000 mcft within a month.
Since the current spell of release commenced on May 27, Chennai has received nearly 1,450 mcft of Krishna water. Officials indicated that Andhra Pradesh authorities have promised to sustain the supply from the Kandaleru reservoir, which is presently at 30% of its capacity, until the onset of the Northeast monsoon in October. Officials added that the city's daily water supply will be sustained until the end of the year with available resources.
