KAKINADA: The Kakinada Municipal Corporation will supply drinking water only once a day, for 90 minutes to two hours, from Tuesday.
The canals will be closed for two months from April 1 as part of the efforts to expedite the mega Polavaram Project works. Previously, the canals used to be closed for 45 days. In those days, the KMC could supply water twice a day for half of the day during the summer and once a day for the remaining days.
There are two reservoirs – the Maharshi Bulusu Sambamurthy reservoir at Samalkot and the Aratlakatta reservoir -- to supply raw water from Godavari canal. The water is treated at Kakinada and then supplied.
The Maharshi Sambamurthy reservoir has a capacity of 1,233ML, of which two-thirds of water will go for Kakinada municipal corporation and one-thrid for the Peddapuram municipality.
According to sources, the Sambamurthy reservoir gets water to only half of its full capacity. KMC officials expressed confidence the irrigation department can supply water to full capacity.
The Aratlakatta reservoir’s capacity is 1582ML. At present, the reservoir is having water supply to full capacity. According to norms, the KMC should supply 135litres per capita to citizens per day. They would get only 60 liters per capita this summer due to lesser availability of water.
East Godavari collector D Muralidhar Reddy recently convened a meeting with officials of agriculture, municipalities and irrigation departments and suggested to the irrigation officials to consider ways to release water from River Godavari till April 10 for filling up the drinking water ponds and reservoirs to meet the summer needs.
According to irrigation officials, 8,000 cusecs of water is available in River Godavari at present from the Sileru reservoir waters. The reservoir officials said they can release water up to the end of March. Later, the water will be stopped for River Godavari.
The officials are confident that the general flow in River Godavari can help fill the drinking water ponds and reservoirs. The Polavaram project officials also have supported the plan to provide water for ten days without hurdles in the context of the project works.
KMC commissioner Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar said KMC will be able to supply drinking water once a day instead of twice a day from March 30. This step has been taken as the canals are being closed for two months. He appealed to the people to avoid using or wasting drinking water for other purposes and economize on use of water.
