High-Rise Buildings To Breathe Easy With Godavari Water

High-rise buildings and regular apartments will breathe easy with the launch last week of the Polavaram Left Main Canal that would provide sufficient water for drinking and industrial use.

The buildings have been drawing ground water for the daily uses, but this has receded due to scanty rainfall this monsoon season.

Visakhapatnam city has around 20 lakh people living in 3.2 lakh dwellings, half of them in slums. Slum-dwellers have been struggling with irregular supply of water via tankers and tap water while those living in apartments depended more on their own groundwater systems.

The city needs about 130mld of water but GVMC gets 110mgd, of which 45mgd is for domestic use and the remaining for steel plant, NTPC and other industries and commercial use.

The Godavari is expected to provide 110mgd of water per day through the Polavaram Left Main canal this year while the flow would be more from next year. Water will be supplied to the Kanithi balancing reservoir and from there to the city in another week’s time.

“The release of Godavari water through the Polavaram Left Main Canal at Payakaraopeta in Anakapalli district has raised hopes of a long-term solution to north Andhra’s growing water needs, particularly those of rapidly expanding Visakhapatnam,’’ said CREDAI Visakhapatnam chapter president E Ashok Kumar.

Welcoming the development, he said the next priority should be to extend the Godavari water network to Visakhapatnam.

“Visakhapatnam is having rapid urban growth, while its groundwater resources are under increasing stress. Extending the reach of the Godavari water to the city would ensure a dependable source for its growing population,” he said.

Kumar, however, stressed that the additional surface-water supply should be backed by groundwater conservation measures. Unchecked installation of borewells should be regulated, while rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge made mandatory for new buildings and large developments, he said.

He also suggested water metering for households and commercial establishments to promote responsible consumption that would make the consumers conscious of their usage and discourage wastage.

Visakhapatnam, he said, needs an integrated water-management policy combining assured surface-water supply with groundwater recharge, rainwater harvesting and efficient water consumption.