Chembarambakkam reservoir undergoes repair for damage caused by Northeast monsoon

CHENNAI: With water demand peaking in the city due to summer, the Water Resources Department (WRD) has kickstarted repair works on the Chembarambakkam reservoir that suffered significant damage during the Northeast monsoon season last year.

According to a report in The Hindu, the reservoir which is the city's biggest drinking water resource spanning over 25.51 kms has faced a lot of damage to its infrastructure during monsoon seasons over the past decade. Currently, it holds 77% of its full capacity of 3,645 million cubic feet (mcft), and nearly 266 million litres per day (MLD).

With an estimate of Rs 24-crores, repair works are underway on the main bund, shutters, and the parapet wall, which was damaged during heavy rains last monsoon. The department has decided to carry out the repair works now as it is also the season where the water levels in the reservoir is at an all time low due to the intense heat.

WRD officials said that the major issue with the project was replacing the eroded stone pitching in the inner bund slope, which deteriorated due to erosion caused by strong waves. However, they noted that the current water level of 20.82 feet is the reason for delay in laying concrete work as they have to wait for the levels to drop below 17 feet.

Additionally, the desilting process has also been postponed as there is ample water in storage. The WRD plans to restore nearly 800 meters of the main bund in an effort to ensure stability and prevent erosion over time. The department also plans to restore two inlet channels to improve water inflow.