The Hindu 04.10.2010
City will not run into water scarcity: Mayor
Special Correspondent
COIMBATORE: The city will not run into scarcity of drinking water in the coming summer because there were signs of more rain in the catchment of Siruvani and Pilloor dams, the source of supply for the city and suburbs, Mayor R. Venkatachalam said on Sunday.
The Corporation and the local bodies in the suburbs feared scarcity owing to deficit rainfall during the South West Monsoon. The Mayor said the present rain provided hope that the North-East would fill the Siruvani and Pilloor dams.
Besides, the Corporation was speeding up the implementation of the Rs.113-crore Pilloor Phase II Drinking Water Scheme, which would provide 63 million litres of water a day (mld). The existing Phase I scheme provided 65 million litres. The Corporation now got 80 million litres from Siruvani Dam, he said. “We are firm on completing the Phase II scheme by March 31, much before the normal time of pressure on the water schemes during summer,” he said.
As for the present, there was consistent rain, though not heavy. The Siruvani catchment had been receiving 20 mm to 25 mm over the last few days and there was a steady inflow through the falls.
The water level in the dam on Sunday was 34 ft, as against the full reservoir level of nearly 50 ft. “But, our information is that the rain will continue and the water level will rise,” he said.
