Chennai’s water reserves have received a significant boost as Krishna River water from Andhra Pradesh’s Kandaleru reservoir continues to flow in, enhancing storage levels in the city’s key water bodies during the high summer demand. The Poondi reservoir, a vital source of drinking water for Chennai, has been benefiting from Krishna water under the interstate water-sharing agreement between Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. With temperatures rising and water consumption increasing, storage levels in major reservoirs like Poondi and Puzhal had been rapidly decreasing in recent months.
To address this situation, the Tamil Nadu government sought Andhra Pradesh’s assistance in releasing Krishna water from the Kandaleru reservoir. Responding to the request, Andhra Pradesh commenced water release on May 23, with excess water after fulfilling irrigation needs in Andhra Pradesh being diverted to Tamil Nadu through the Krishna water supply system. Currently, approximately 285 cubic feet per second (cusecs) of water is flowing into the Poondi reservoir, significantly boosting storage levels and enabling water transfer to other reservoirs catering to Chennai.
In a significant move, authorities have initiated the transfer of 250 cusecs from the Poondi reservoir to the Puzhal reservoir, another crucial water source for the city with a storage capacity of 3,300 million cubic feet (mcft). The Puzhal reservoir presently holds over 1,642 mcft of water, with storage levels steadily rising due to recent inflows from Poondi. This rise is anticipated to enhance Chennai’s water security during the peak summer period, with around 183 cusecs of water being drawn daily from the Puzhal reservoir to meet the city’s drinking water needs.
Water resource officials have highlighted that continuous inflows from the Krishna river system have played a vital role in stabilizing reservoir levels and enhancing overall drinking water availability. The increasing storage in Puzhal and other reservoirs is expected to bring significant relief to Chennai residents and bolster the city’s readiness to address water demands in the upcoming weeks.
