Visakhapatnam: Copious rains bring cheer to water managers

Visakhapatnam: The copious rains have led to a loss of Rs 78 crore in the district as per the preliminary report. However, it did aid in filling up the reservoirs to the brim.

Almost all reservoirs across the district have reached the maximum storage level now. The water levels provide the much-needed relief to water managers as they say that the district will not suffer from any water crisis next year.

Meanwhile, the GVMC officials have clarified that the summer in 2021 will be free of drinking water shortage.

Last summer, some of the reservoirs reached dead storage level. The shortage of water pushed the officials to pump water through motors in order to supply drinking water to the households. On the contrary, officials concerned are optimistic that there will not be any interruption to water supply for domestic as well as industrial requirements in the ensuing summer.

After three days of heavy rains, reservoirs recorded a significant volume of water. Meghadrigedda reservoir alone received one-and-a-half feet of water in 12 hours. On Tuesday, the water level at Mudasarlova reservoir reached 163.60 feet against its full reservoir capacity of 169 feet. Similarly, Meghadrigedda received water up to 59 feet on Wednesday against its maximum level of 61 feet.

At Raiwada reservoir, water level reached 113.60 metres against its maximum capacity of 114 metres. Meanwhile, Tatipudi reservoir received a water level up to 291 feet against its capacity of 297 feet.

Superintending Engineer (Water Supply) of GVMC, K Venugopal, told The Hans India that households and industries will get sufficient quantities of water even if the summer is expected to be harsh next year. In the past, the drinking water problem persisted in summer months due to the reservoirs touching a dead storage level. But with the deep depression causing heavy rains this October, reservoirs have been filled up erasing any possibility of water scarcity to be experienced next year.

The six-gated Meghadrigedda, which supplies drinking water to the people and industries in GVMC limits, has reached its maximum level and the Irrigation Department officials released the water downstream as the inflow of floodwater was high. After a gap of four years, the officials opened one of its gates and released 150 cusecs of water.