The Deccan Chronicle 08.09.2010
Metro gears up for bigger citySept. 7: Erratic water supply could become a thing of the past on the fringes of the metropolis if everything the Chennai Metro Water has planned for the proposed ‘greater’ Chennai comes true. Identifying new water sources to meet the water requirements of greater Chennai is the biggest challenge Chennai metropolitan water supply and sewerage board (CMWSSB) is currently facing.
CMWSSB has projected its overall water requirement to shoot up to 2,248 mld (million litres per day) once the existing 174 sq km city corporation is expanded to 426 sq km, bringing nine municipalities, eight town panchayats and 25 village panchayats under MWSSB.
It is estimated that the 12 tmcft annual Krishna water supply (the city has not received more than 7.5 tmcft from Kandaleru even once) plus the 100 mld water from desalination plants in Minjur and Nemmeli, besides water from the four reservoirs in Poondi, Puzhal, Cholavaram and Chembarambakkam would jointly take its capacity to 1,900 mld, over 300 mld short of greater Chennai’s requirements.
CMWSSB has awarded the work to Shah Technical Consultants to identify 15 tmcft of water in a year. The consultant would submit a report of the techno-economical feasibility study by March 2011, a senior CMWSSB official, requesting anonymity, told DC. The study would explore options like identification of ground and surface water sources around Chennai and far-off places, he elaborated. The economic and technical probability of conveying water from distant places would also be considered.
As regards the shortage, capacity expansion of water sources would be carried out in a phased manner at the rate of 5 tmcft, sources added. The water storage and supply capacity of CMWSSB would literally be doubled if the desired 15 tmcft materialises, water managers point out.
