Sunkesula Drinking Water Pipeline to Kurnool Nearing Completion

Kurnool: The pipeline project for supplying drinking water to Kurnool city from Sunkesula Reservoir through the Summer Storage Tank at Munagalapadu is nearing completion.

This Water Supply Improvement Scheme launched under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) is a 23-kilometer pipeline project. Only a small portion of the project is pending. It is expected to be completed within the next 2-3 months.

The project is being executed under AMRUT with funding of ₹14.32 crore by the central government. State government is contributing ₹5.66 crore. Kurnool Municipal Corporation is spending ₹62.02 crore that covers operation and maintenance of the scheme for seven years, including a two-year defect liability period.

State government had previously modified the project estimate from ₹50.43 crore to ₹82 crore. It gave administrative sanction for the project in 2021. The project involves a 23-kilometre pipeline for bringing water from Sunkesula Reservoir to the Summer Storage Tank in Kurnool city at Munagalapadu.

City mayor B. Y. Ramaiah said the state government had granted administrative sanction for ₹82 crore project a couple of years ago to supply drinking water from Sunkesula Reservoir to the city. He disclosed that only 3–4 kilometres of pipeline remains to be completed, which will be finished in the next 2–3 months.

Kurnool city has 52 municipal divisions to which water will be supplied. The supply needs to be streamlined, especially in colonies. Residents in outlying colonies have reported intermittent water supply, with tankers delivering water on an irregular basis.

The Summer Storage Tank near Munagalapadu is the main source of water supply to Kurnool. Despite the presence of the Tungabhadra and Handri rivers in the region, there has been no permanent drinking water supply solution for the city. Many areas on outskirts of the city receive water for only two to three days, while colonies rely on municipal water supply for two days.

Currently, an open canal transports water from the reservoir to the tank, with only 40–60 percent of the water reaching its destination after traveling around 21 kilometres.

The new pipeline system will save water losses, ensuring that local people receive an adequate supply of water. The ongoing upgrade is a crucial step towards addressing water scarcity in Kurnool city, officials said.