WRD requests Andhra Pradesh govt. for Krishna water release to meet Chennai’s drinking water needs

Andhra Pradesh seeks Krishna water release for Chennai's needs, with plans to boost reservoir storage and improve water supply.

The Water Resources Department (WRD) has written to the Andhra Pradesh government seeking Krishna water release from the Kandaleru reservoir for the period beginning this month to meet Chennai’s drinking water needs.

The reservoirs in neighbouring Tiruvallur district, which are one of the major sources of water supply to Chennai, had a total storage of 4,758 million cubic feet (40.47% of their capacity) as on Wednesday. The storage would last till the onset of northeast monsoon in October. While the other sources like the Veeranam tank and desalination plants would help to maintain the daily supply, Krishna water discharge would boost the storage in these reservoirs.

At present, Chennai and its merged areas are being supplied 1,067.19 million litres of water a day (mld). Of this, nearly 1,022.70 mld is being supplied to domestic consumers through pipelines and tankers.

WRD officials said the storage was low in the Andhra Pradesh reservoirs, and the southwest monsoon, which is active over the other States, is likely to raise the level in these reservoirs.

The city must receive about 8,000 mcft of Krishna water during the period between July and October every year under the 1983 agreement. It received 2,412 mcft between July 1 and October 6 in 2023.

The WRD put off proposals to request water for the January-April period as the city’s waterbodies had sufficient water. WRD officials said the department used the dry period to improve channels linking the reservoirs and repair the vulnerable stretches of the Kandaleru-Poondi canal. “We plan to complete the work by mid-August to prepare for Krishna water discharge. The monsoon preparedness work will also be completed by next month to allow free flow of water,” said an official.

Some of the main parts of the repairs to the shutters of the Poondi reservoir, which primarily stores Krishna water, would also be completed by mid-August to ensure the dam’s safety, the official added.