Chennai reservoirs hold 5,188 mcft less water than last year
The city's five major drinking water reservoirs are at 41 per cent capacity despite the strengthening northeast monsoon in Tamil Nadu.
Chennai's five principal drinking water reservoirs held 4,820 million cubic feet (mcft) of water on Wednesday, according to Metrowater data reported by Deccan Chronicle. This figure is 5,188 mcft lower than the 10,008 mcft recorded on November 11 last year.
The combined storage represents just 41 per cent of the 11,757 mcft total capacity of the five reservoirs. The deficit is most significant in Poondi and Chembarambakkam, which together account for nearly 3,935 mcft of the shortfall.
Poondi reservoir held 585 mcft, which is 18.11 per cent of its capacity, while Chembarambakkam held 1,398 mcft, or 38.35 per cent. Cholavaram, Kannankottai-Thervoykandigai, and Red Hills also recorded lower storage levels compared to the previous year.
Including Veeranam, the combined storage of the six reservoirs is 5,748.75 mcft, or 43.48 per cent of their 13,222 mcft capacity. This is 5,237.45 mcft less than the storage recorded during the same period last year.
Despite the reservoir deficit, Metrowater supplied 1,244.25 million litres a day on Wednesday, which is higher than the 1,209.19 MLD supplied during the same period last year. This supply was supported by increased contributions from two Nemmeli desalination plants.
The Regional Meteorological Centre has forecast further rainfall, with a low pressure system likely to develop over the southeast Bay of Bengal around November 13. However, Chennai is expected to receive another spell of rain only later than southern and delta districts.