The Hindu 09.01.2014
Groundwater to be tapped to overcome water shortage
Chennai Metrowater plans to tap ground water from the additional borewells sunk in well fields to manage drinking water supply after April.
With the northeast monsoon in Chennai deficit by 41 per cent, the water agency will only be able to sustain the present drinking water supply until March with available resources.
Addressing a seminar on monsoons 2013 organised by the Regional Meteorological Centre on Wednesday, Chennai Metrowater’s managing director, B. Chandramohan, said in a bid to manage the shortage of resources in reservoirs, Metrowater plans to draw groundwater from its well fields in Tamaraipakkam, Minjur and Neyveli.
Besides drawing an additional 20 million litres a day (mld) from the well fields kept in store for crises, the water agency also plans to hire agricultural wells to augment water supply if required.
Though 2012’s rainfall was also low, continuous supply from the Veeranam tank and two desalination plants in Minjur and Nemmeli helped Metrowater manage the shortfall.
Of the 575 million litres a day supplied now on alternate days, the three sources contributed to about 380 mld, he said. The State has also requested a sustained release of Krishna water until June.
Y.E.A. Raj, deputy director general of meteorology, Chennai, said that though four systems formed over the Bay of Bengal, they did not bring much rainfall to the State. Chennai has now recorded its fifth poor northeast monsoon season over the past 45 years.
In the monsoon season, 27 districts of the State recorded deficient rainfall. Only five districts — Dharmapuri, Kanyakumari, Krishnagiri, The Nilgiris and Tirunelveli — registered normal rainfall. The State recorded 29 cm as against the expected 44 cm, deficit by 33 per cent.
