The Udhagamandalam Municipality (UMC) is looking at contingency measures to deal with the impending water crisis that could hit the town unless the district starts receiving rainfall in the coming days.
According to officials in the UMC, water levels in both the main sources of drinking water for the town at Marlimund Lake and Parsons Valley Dam have reduced to less that 44 and 33 percent of total storage levels respectively. Officials said that the water level in Marlimund Lake stood at eight feet, out of a total capacity depth of 18 feet, while the water level is at a depth of 18 feet out of a total depth of 54 feet at Parsons Valley Dam.
“At this point, we are praying for the clouds to open, failing which the summer tourist season could lead to water scarcity in both Udhagamandalam as well as Coonoor towns,” an official from the UMC said.
Both municipalities are looking to find wells that can be restored in the coming weeks to help offset this precarious situation. “Generally, there would already have been a few showers by now that would have mitigated the worst of the summer,” said another official, adding that strategies are being planned by the municipality to deal with the imminent crisis.
P. Egaraj, UMC Commissioner, said that there are plans to transport water using tankers from the municipality’s pumping station and distribute the water to locations across Udhagamandalam. “This will minimise water wastage due to leaks, and may become the only viable source for some houses to get water as the reduced pressure in the pipes may mean that water doesn’t reach certain homes and settlements,” he said.
The UMC has also requested the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) to temporarily stop using water from Parsons Valley for power generation purposes.
