Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam has witnessed a significant rise in water levels across its reservoirs and groundwater sources, thanks to an exceptionally rainy July. The city recorded a "large excess" of 78.8 per cent rainfall during the current southwest monsoon season, which has dramatically reversed the water shortage experienced earlier this year.
Local authorities said the heavy rains have improved water levels in several reservoirs managed by the Visakhapatnam Industrial Water Supply Company and raised groundwater levels by 2 meters compared to last month. In June, the groundwater level stood at 10.52 meters but has since risen to 8.936 meters, with the Bheemli constituency now reporting levels above the minimum threshold.
Official data shows that Visakhapatnam received 187.4 mm of rainfall in July, more than double the normal 89.5 mm. This deluge has provided much-needed relief after a summer marked by severe water shortages. During the summer months, the city's water supply completely fell short with only 193 million gallons per day (MGD) for the demand of 285 MGD, which was far below the norm of required supply of 135 liters per capita per day. The bulk demand and agreement quantity for the city was 373 MGD during the peak summer period.
Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) superintending engineer (water supply) K.V.N Ravi confirmed the positive impact of the recent rains, stating, "Yes, almost all the water resources of our GVMC, including reservoirs and rivers, are above the minimum level (drawdown level) due to abundant rains in the past one week."
Reservoirs across the region also have reported significant increases in water levels. The Yeleru Reservoir, a critical water source for the city, saw its levels rise from 70.05 meters on July 5 to 79.50 meters by the end of the month. The River Godavari, another vital source, recorded an increase from 14.10 meters to 16 meters during the same period. Other reservoirs in the area have experienced similar gains. The Thatipudi Reservoir in Vizianagaram district rose from 290.70 feet to 291.70 feet between July 5 and July 25. The Raiwada Reservoir saw a rise from 107.90 meters to 108.50 meters, while the Meghadri Gedda Reservoir slightly decreased from 48.30 feet to 48.10 feet. The Gosthani River and the Ghambeeram Gedda Reservoir maintained stable levels at 30 feet and 123 feet, respectively. Meanwhile, the Mudasarlova Reservoir saw a small increase from 161.8 feet to 162 feet.
Currently, the GVMC is supplying 350 million liters of water daily to the city's population of approximately 2.5 million, as well as to its businesses and industries. The city also operates nearly 8,500 bore wells to supplement its water supply.
