Krishna river water reaches Chennai two days late
Tamil Nadu: A critical situation has emerged regarding the drinking water supply in Chennai. Krishna River water released from the Kandaleru Dam in Andhra Pradesh, intended to meet Chennai’s water needs, has arrived at the Uthukottai Zero Point on the Tamil Nadu border with a two-day delay. This water is being sent to Chennai under the Telugu Ganga Project.
According to Water Resources Department officials, this water is now expected to proceed beyond the Uthukottai Zero Point and reach Poondi Lake after midnight. Poondi Lake is considered one of Chennai’s major water supply sources and, once it reaches here, will be used to supply the city’s drinking water.
Under the Telugu Ganga Project, the Andhra Pradesh government provides a total of 12 TMC of Krishna River water to Tamil Nadu each year. Of this, 8 TMC is sent between July and October and 4 TMC between January and April. To ensure water supply under this arrangement this year, the Andhra Pradesh government requested the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department to provide additional water to meet Chennai’s summer needs.
Following this, Krishna River water was released from the Kandaleru Dam in Andhra Pradesh through the Telugu-Ganga Project Canal at a rate of 1,900 cubic feet per second. It was estimated that this water would travel a distance of 152 kilometers and reach the Uthukottai Zero Point on the Tamil Nadu border by the 25th.
However, due to slow water flow, the flow was delayed by approximately two days. According to reports, on Thursday, water reached the Uthukottai Zero Point at a rate of only 50 cubic feet per second, disrupting the entire supply process.
Officials stated that the delay was primarily due to lack of maintenance of the Krishna River Canal and the impact on water flow due to the intense heat. Blockages and low flow capacity in the canal slowed the flow of water, resulting in additional time for it to reach Chennai.
The Water Resources Department team is closely monitoring the situation and hopes that the water will reach Poondi Lake soon, contributing to the city’s water supply. This supply is considered crucial given the increasing heat and water demand in Chennai.
Overall, even though the Krishna River water may have arrived late, its arrival at Poondi Lake is expected to provide some relief to Chennai’s drinking water needs.
