Visakhapatnam: The severe cyclonic storm Michaung, which destroyed crops in Rayalaseema and south coastal Andhra Pradesh in recent days, has saved Visakhapatnam city by filling all the seven reservoirs that supply domestic as well as industrial water.
"All the reservoirs are full and we can ensure water supply to domestic needs as well as industries till the southwest monsoon sets in over the state next year,’’ said executive engineer to water supply at GVMC, TL Sudhakar.
Vizag has a population of 22.97 lakh and its daily water requirement is around 87 million gallons a day, of which 40 per cent goes to industries.
Compared to previous years, the water levels in the seven reservoirs are much higher this year.
Mayor Hari Kumari said the city would not have any water related problems till the next rainy season. The GMVC spent '3.2 crore last year to augment the supply through water tankers.
She said a new pipeline would be laid from the Kanithi Balancing Reservoir (KBR) to Madhurawada. The area is being supplied drinking water from the Gosthani river, which also supplies water to the Bheemunipatnam zone. The pipeline project would cost an additional '600 crore.
Activists noted that the city has over two lakh apartments that mostly use filtered groundwater. Around seven lakh people living in slums need water from GVMC. Most of the public bore-wells and public taps have been closed.
The highest volume of water, 193 MLD, is drawn from Yeleru (Godavari) and its current level is 79.37 metres, Raiwada 108.70 metres, Thatipudi 286.80 feet, Mehadrigedda 52. 2 feet, Gosthani 30feet, Gambheeram 123 feet and Mudasarlova 166 feet.
