Mettur Dam level at 40 feet

A senior PWD official said that water availability in the dam was 12.537 tmc, which is 13.41 per cent of the full reservoir capacity of 93.47 tmc. Inflow to the dam from Karnataka was 7,249 cusecs while the discharge was 7,000 cusecs to meet the drinking water requirements in the Delta region.

The official said that the discharge was steadily increased from the late hours of July 31, when it was first increased from 500 cusecs to 2,500 cusecs for Aadi Perukku. “It was increased to 3,000 cusecs and to 7,000 cusecs from 9 pm on Tuesday. The release will continue for the next few days as the inflow is expected to go up marginally,” he said.

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PWD officials said that water released in River Cauvery from Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) and Kabini reservoirs in Karnataka continues to be maintained at the 10,000 cusecs mark. “Earlier 6,000 cusecs was released from Kabini and 4,000 cusecs from KRS. It is vice-versa now.

We expect a marginal increase in inflow by 1,000 cusecs due to local showers,” he added.

The much-awaited water that was released from Mettur for drinking reached Tiruchy on Friday. Initially, 3000 cusecs was released. The drinking water initially reached Kulithalai in Karur and then flowed up to Musiri and Pettaivaithalai on Friday. However, the water flow was very marginal and only 1,531 cusecs reached Tiruchy.

On Friday evening, the water reached Mukkombu (Upper Anaicut).

Meanwhile, as another 7,000 cusecs water was released subsequently, it is expected to reach Upper Anaicut in a couple of days. Only after that flow of water would gain momentum.

As the water begins to flow, pumping stations and wells would get recharged. This would help to solve the drinking water problem here, said PWD officials.

In the meantime, civic body officials who heaved a great sigh of relief after witnessing the water in the pumping stations, said that there are already four each pumping stations functioning in the Cauvery and Kollidam through which 134 MLD water has been drawn and distributed to 140 OHTs (Over Head Tanks).

Since the water shortage earlier, the 134 MLD was reduced to 100 MLD water. And the situation would be better from Monday and so the Tiruchy residents would get the required quantity of drinking water, civic body officials opined.