Siruvani Dam level expected to rise

Strong westerly winds at the Siruvani Dam and the catchment are providing signs of summer showers eagerly hoped for by a substantial portion of the city and the suburbs that are dependent on the Siruvani scheme for drinking water.

March – the normal summer showers time – was a disappointer, according to official sources. An official dealing with Siruvani supply said at least 50 mm rain was the normal quota for the dam in March. Leave alone the westerly winds, there was not even a stiff breeze during that month, he said.

But, April seemed to turn things around. Gusty winds uprooted a tree on the road to the dam in the Siruvani hills and there was a drizzle at the dam last Friday. The situation, however, had not improved on Monday. But, the signs of rain persisted.

The summer showers that normally arrived in Kerala (where the dam is located) in the second half of March never increased the water level substantially. It reduced the water level depletion for a few days, the official said.

The water level on Friday was around 28 ft, as against the full reservoir level of 51 ft. It was five feet more than the level during the corresponding period last year. But, on Monday, the level had dipped by another foot.

While there was a struggle for Siruvani water in the suburbs, the city is not facing any major problem because of the supply from the Siruvani and Pilloor dams. The sources said that on any given day, the city got 130 million litres a day. It now got 70 million litres from Siruvani Dam and at least 60 million litres from the Pilloor Dam. This would be enough to supply 110 litres per capita per day to a population of about 12 lakh.