Increased drinking water supply for Chennai residents - A new reservoir to come up soon near Chennai!!
Posted on: 03/Feb/2022 9:22:21 AM
Two tanks at Kattur-Thathamanji near Minjur would be improved and work on building a new reservoir would get completed by the month of August 2022. By this, there would be an increase in the drinking water supply plus it would also reduce the effect of intrusion of seawater in the area.
The work on building the new reservoir has been going on well and WRD or Water Resources Department has now finished nearly 60percent of the work to increase the capacities of 2 tanks.
The 2 tanks are located at about 40km from Chennai and funds for the construction of new reservoirs are being provided by both National Bank for Agriculture and NABARD. Removal of silt has been going on now and height of the bund is getting increased and by this the storage capacity would become 350mcft from the present 58.27mcft. Water would be present spread over an area of 257 hectares. Every year, on an average nearly 1.7 tmcft of surplus water drains into the sea through Araniyar River.
Information collected is that a portion of water from Lakshmipuram check dam across the river would be diverted to the new reservoir coming up at a cost of Rs 62.36 crores. In the adjoining tanks, the height of the bund would be raised to 7.1m and the area of the new reservoir would be 3.266 sq km. It is learnt that apart from reconstructing sluice and weirs the supply channel carrying water from Araniyar would be improved.
In the Minjur region, for the cultivation of paddy and groundnut, the farmers mostly depend on the tanks. It is clear that this new upcoming reservoir would provide a superb solution for the drinking water and irrigation issues of the people. It must be noted that in those areas that have been severely affected by the intrusion of seawater the upcoming new reservoir would serve as a source of groundwater recharge.
For 3 months during summer season, nearly 150 mld of drinking water could be supplied once when the new reservoir gets ready. The water from the new reservoir could be used for drinking water needs in other places like Ponneri etc.
