Chennai: With the city staring at water scarcity as all water bodies around are slowing drying up, officials of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) are mulling to draw water from Porur lake, like last year. However, the only solace as officials say is that the need to tap water from Porur lake was not very acute at this juncture, as the existing storage in both the Chembarambakkam and Red Hills, besides other sources is enough to meet requirements for this month.
Sources said that Poondi and Cholavaram lakes had already turned bone dry, while Chembarambakkam and Red Hills have around one tmc feet of water. Moreover, the CMWSSB is receiving 180 MLD of water from Veeranam lake, and the board also gets 200 MLD from two desalination plants each producing 100 MLD. Sources added that the officials draw 270 MLD of water from both lakes, Chembarambakkam and Red Hills. If they keep drawing the available surface water at this pace, the two lakes will dry up soon, leading to acute water scarcity in the city.
“We are cautious about drinking water supply and are closely monitoring the available storage. Even as we are supplying 650 MLD of water to the city against the 830 MLD as it used to be, we may draw water from Porur lake, should the need arise,” said an official, on conditions of anonymity. However, the official hoped that the north-east monsoon would lend a helping hand with copious rains.
The situation has left residents fuming as what they call it ‘erratic supply’, since the CMWSSB is supplying water only on alternate days. “Officials should not always rely on rains, but take precautionary steps to supply drinking water regularly,” said A Raj, a resident of Chintadripet.
A senior official, CMWSSB, said, “All options are open and we will draw water from Porur lake, which has considerable water storage. However, there is no hurry.”
