The Hindu 20.11.2010
New schemes may stretch GVMC water supply
| As a short-term measure, carrying capacity of Yeleru canal needs to be increased |
Growing water needs, domestic and industrial, will further increase the demand, say officials
The replacement of the Tatipudi pipeline will improve its capacity from 6 mgd to 10 mgd
VISAKHAPATNAM: The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation's water supply system will be stretched once two more water supply schemes meant for Gajuwaka and the 32 villages that merged in the erstwhile municipal corporation become operational.
The corporation's present supply of 56 million gallons a day (mgd) will go up roughly by another 40 mgd once the schemes are completed.
Water supply officials are upbeat that the torrential rains this year will see it through for the next two summers. Apart from the reservoirs being full, the groundwater levels have improved considerably.
The acute summer that had been experienced was due to poor levels in the reservoirs and also groundwater levels sinking drastically forcing GVMC to resort to water supply on alternate days.
If at least 50 to 60 per cent of the normal rainfall is recorded during coming years, the situation would be comfortable until the summer of 2012, officials hope.
But the completion of the two schemes will necessitate drawing of about 40 mgd of water from the Yeleru reservoir. With hardly any storage capacity added and if a lean season occurs, the GVMC would find it difficult to supply 96 mgd of water once the new schemes, taken up under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) are operational.
Besides, officials admit that the growing water needs, domestic and industrial, will further increase the demand.
But since the new schemes are based on drawing water from Yeleru reservoir through the canal, it has to be maintained well and its carrying capacity increased by at least 20 to 25 per cent, as a short-term measure. That being the case, the only short-term alternative is to improve the carrying capacity of Yeleru canal. But if the canal levels fall drastically as had happened during this summer, it would be a difficult situation. The replacement of the Tatipudi pipeline now going on will improve its capacity from 6 mgd to 10 mgd provides some solace.
Ironically, while two lean seasons had led to the Yeleru canal not being closed for maintenance the proposal to close it this month had to be postponed because of the heavy inflows into it. “Now, we intend to take up maintenance work after closing it from January 20,” says Superintendent Engineer (Water Supply) V. Chandraiah.
In the long-term, laying a pipeline from the Godavari lift irrigation scheme at Kateru near Rajahmundry and the Polavaram barrage left main canal which brings 24 tmcft water to the district, are considered as solutions.
