Rain at Siruvani Dam brings cheers

The Coimbatore Corporation seemed a bit relaxed on Thursday as 40 mm rain was reported at the Siruvani Dam, the source of a drinking water scheme serving one half of the 105 sq.km. city.

Mayor R. Venkatachalam said the water level remained at 23 ft for close to a week, despite 85 million litres a day (mld) being supplied to the Corporation areas, three municipalities and a clutch of town panchayats and village panchayats. Only because of steady rain, the storage was being maintained at this level, he said.

The Mayor said there were reports of water being received through two falls. “We are told that the Mukthikulam (in the upper reaches of the Siruvani hills) is full and surplus water is flowing into the dam,” he said. The situation indicated heavy rain in Kerala where the dam and the catchments were located. Heavy rain would bring water from the Mukthikulam to the dam through more than five falls. The Mayor said the storage would improve in a week if the heavy rain in the catchments continued.