The Hindu 22.06.2010
Godavari water reaches city
Staff Reporter
| Storage tanks meant for supply of drinking water had gone dry for three months |
- Photo AVG Prasad 
glad tidings: Godavari river water trickles into a water storage tank at Eluru.
ELURU: As the Godavari water trickles into the drinking water storage tanks in the city, the denizens who felt the pinch of water shortage during the summer, felt relieved on Monday.
The three storage tanks, meant to supply drinking water for the city, went dry for three months as the canals carrying the water from the Krishna and the Godavari were closed for repair works. The tanks got spruced up for filling of water.
When there were no signs of the Krishna water reaching the city now, the tanks have to be dependent on the Godavari water for water storage. The ongoing bed revetment works in the Krishna canal delayed the water release up to July 1.
The Godavari water was let into the Eluru canal for passage into the storage tanks at the pumping station at eastern locks on the city outskirts on Monday.
Even as the water trickles into the tanks from pipelines, the personnel of the Municipal Corporation of Eluru (MCE) sprinkled the bleaching powder bags along the stream as part of maintaining pond hygiene.
It may be recalled that the Godavari water is being utilised for drinking in the city for the last two years as the Krishna proved to be undependable for a variety of reasons. The people suffered due to water shortage in the current summer also, as usual, forcing the MCE to ensure supplies on alternate days. Besides, it also got the power supply disconnected by the Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (EPDCL) personnel during the supply timings in order to check over-exploitation of the precious liquid by the people in upper reaches by installing motors. The problem was felt more on the city outskirts which were deprived of piped water. MCE had tasted the wrath of people in these areas for inadequate supplies provided by tankers.
Srinivasa Rao, Divisional Engineer (Water Works), MCE, hoped the water woes in the city came to an end now with the Godavari water reaching the storage tanks.
