For the first time in nearly 27 years, water in the three chief dams supplying drinking water to Chennai have reached their full reservoir level. Three other dams, too, are brimming with water as their levels have reached the maximum level, thanks to the northeast monsoon and cyclone Ditwah. The combined storage of water in all six dams accounted for a total of 12,273.40 mcft (million cubic feet), which is 92.83 per cent, on December 12, as against a storage of 10,068.42 mcft of water during the corresponding period last year.
Poondi and Puzhal dams have 100 per cent storage, while Chembarambakkam has 99.37 per cent water. As per the data available with the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, levels of water in Poondi and Puzhal reservoirs have reached the FRL of 140 feet (3,221 mcft storage) and 50.20 feet (3,300 mcft storage), respectively. The Chembarambakkam, with a full tank level of 85.31 feet (3,645 mcft storage), currently has 3,622 mcft of water. All three reservoirs continue to receive inflows from the catchment areas.
“The water levels reached the maximum level due to cyclone Ditwah that triggered intense rainfall in Chennai and neighbouring districts during the northeast monsoon,” officials said.
Cholavaram dam (65.50 feet height), Kannankottai Thervoy Kandigai (115.35 feet), and Veeranam (47.50 feet) have water up to 59.22 feet, 114.33 feet, and 46.10 feet, respectively.
In 2015, when the city and suburbs reeled under massive floods, the water level at Poondi dam stood at 139.26 feet, which was 98.91 per cent of the storage (i.e., 2,905 mcft), Puzhal stood at 48.60 feet - 88.85 per cent (2,932 mcft), and Chembarambakkam stood at 83.05 feet with 83.07 per cent storage (3,028 mcft).
