WRD, Metrowater team to seek higher quantum of Krishna water release for Chennai

With the storage levels in Chennai’s major drinking water reservoirs declining, a team of Water Resources Department and Chennai Metrowater officials is expected to visit Andhra Pradesh on Friday to seek additional release of Krishna water.

The five key reservoirs that supply a major share of drinking water to Chennai now have a combined storage of 5,630 million cubic feet (mcft), which is 48% of their total capacity. This is nearly 1,000 mcft lower than the storage registered on the same day last year.

Krishna water from Kandaleru reservoir in Andhra Pradesh has been flowing since May 27 to improve water level in reservoirs and meet drinking water needs of Chennai. Poondi reservoir has so far received nearly 1,000 mcft of Krishna water since then.

However, Krishna water inflow to Tamil Nadu border has dropped sharply to 188 cubic feet per second (cusecs) on Thursday. With storage dipping steadily and deficit rainfall in Tiruvallur and Chennai so far this season, it is imperative that Krishna water sustains storage till the onset of Northeast monsoon. The storage in the city reservoirs would last till this year-end.

Sources said the team would meet A.P. officials of Telugu Ganga Project at Kandaleru to request increase of Krishna water discharge from Kandaleru reservoir, which currently holds 22,000 mcft against its capacity of 68,000 mcft. They have a provision to transfer water from reservoirs upstream like Srisailam and Somasila to the one in Kandaleru to raise storage.

The team would request for discharge of 500 cusecs of water till October to maintain water storage and also continue uninterrupted daily drawing of water from reservoirs. If 500 cusecs of Krishna water are received daily, it would aid in increasing storage by about 1,200 mcft in a month, officials said. A.P. authorities released water into Kandaleru Poondi canal for drinking water needs for places enroute like Tirupathi, Kalahasti, and Rapur in A.P. and finally to Chennai.

The city has received nearly 5,600 mcft of Krishna water since July 2025. According to the inter-State agreement, Chennai would have to be provided 12,000 mcft of Krishna water in two spells every year.