Kakinada Municipal Corporation worried, can store water for only 40 days

Kakinada: Kakinada Municipal Corporation will face water shortage problem during the summer as the storage capacity of the Corporation is sufficient only for 40 days. If the canals are lifted after 40 days, the KMC will not be able to supply water. The previous year, the KMC faced severe water shortage problem and it had to supply only one time per day instead of twice.

This year, the canals have been closed on April 20 and the officials are expected to open the canals on June 1. However, the irrigation officials say that it may take some more time to release water from canals in the coming Kharif season as the canal modernisation works are in progress.

Particularly, the government is keen on completing of Pattiseema project final works and also ongoing Polavaram Project works. If the canals open in upstream or downstream before 40 days, the works may be affected.

Meanwhile, the KMC officials stored water in two reservoirs such as Maharshi Sambamurthy and Artlakatta with a capacity of 2,400 ML. The KMC is able to supply 107 Litres per capita per day out of 135 LPCD of drinking water to the residents of the city.

The people of Dummulapet and other areas alleged that the water is being supplied in one time per day. They requested the officials to supply water twice a day. However, the officials say that no drinking water shortage problem in the city at present and all areas are being covered in supplying of the water to the citizens.

The KMC is supplying drinking water to S. Achutapuram, Swam-ynagar and some parts of Turangi area through water tankers. Meanwhile, the KMC has to supply drinking water round-the-clock in Zone 1 under retrofit development area under the Smart City concept.