Chennai Metro Water taps into quarries to meet water demand

As the mercury levels in the city is set to increase in the coming weeks, the Chennai Metro Water, on Saturday, began drawing water from the quarries in Sikkarayapuram to meet Chennai’s water demand. A report in The Hindu stated that the Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) started tapping into these resources since the water levels at the main reservoirs in the city’s periphery have dropped to a bare minimum.

According to the CMWSSB website, the water levels at Poondi reservoir stood at 0.478 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic feet) against the full capacity of 3.231 TMC and Cholavaram stood at 0.048 TMC against its full capacity of 1.081 TMC. Water levels at Redhills reservoir was 0.513 TMC as against its full capacity of 3.3 TMC and the level of water in Chembarambakkam lake stood at 0.021 TMC as against its full capacity of 3.645 TMC.

Chembarambakkam’s water level will last another week and will be tapped by CMWSSB until the turbidity causes problems, the report said.

CMWSSB could also reduce the supply of water to Chennai city in the coming days in an attempt to manage the existing water resources. The board, as on date, supplies around 550 million litres on alternate days.

With new resources available in the 22 quarries identified in and around Sikkarayapuram, the plan is to draw 15 million litres a day (MLD) from them, which could go up to 30 MLD per day as per the demand. This water will be transported to the treatment plant in Chembarambakkam, which will then be supplied for domestic use in Chennai.

According to the data presented by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Chennai received 54 percent less rainfall than normal between October and December last year, which will have a direct bearing on its water supply. Apart from quarries in Sikkarayapuram, the CMWSSB had also identified new quarry in Erumaiyur and three other lakes in the city’s outskirts for drawing water.