Kodaikanal, a popular hill station in Tamil Nadu, is experiencing a critical shortage of drinking water due to prolonged dry weather and insufficient rainfall. The town, accommodating around 46,000 residents and attracting a significant number of tourists, is now struggling with limited municipal water supply, reaching households only once every seven to eight days.
The escalating demand for water, exacerbated by the influx of visitors, has led to residents resorting to water storage whenever supply is available, fearing prolonged gaps in distribution. Businesses, including hotels and restaurants, are grappling with the crisis by purchasing expensive private water tankers to meet their daily needs, significantly impacting their operational costs.
The water scarcity crisis in Kodaikanal is primarily linked to the depletion of key water sources like the Observatory Lake and Keel Gundaru. Despite the town’s population growth and thriving tourism industry, the lack of new water reservoirs since Independence has intensified the situation. Additionally, the absence of widespread underground water storage facilities in residential and commercial buildings has left many vulnerable during water shortages.
Municipal authorities in Kodaikanal emphasize the town’s heavy reliance on seasonal rainfall for its water supply. To address the immediate water shortage, the municipality has initiated measures such as digging a deep well near Fairy Falls and planning to drill four additional borewells near Gymkhana Road. These efforts aim to alleviate the crisis temporarily until substantial monsoon rains replenish the town’s reservoirs.
