
Siruvani water supply hit in Coimbatore after pipeline damage, ongoing repairs underway
COIMBATORE: Drinking water supply from the Siruvani Dam to the residential areas of the Coimbatore district has been severely affected following back-to-back pipeline works that are being carried out by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board and the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) over the past week.
The disruption began earlier last week when the civic body began to carry out critical interlinking works, reducing the supply from 100 million litres per day (MLD) to 50 MLD. These works aim to connect the Siruvani pipeline with the Pillur Scheme-3 to improve water management during periods of low dam storage.
Just as the works neared completion, a fresh setback occurred last Friday. A major Siruvani pipeline was accidentally damaged during road-widening work by the State Highways Department near Kalampalayam on the Siruvani Main Road. The mishap led to the loss of thousands of litres of treated drinking water and disrupted supply to areas like Kurichi and Kuniyamuthur.
The TWAD Board is now working on emergency repairs. Officials said full restoration of the supply is expected soon after the remaining joint-packing and repair works are completed.
As of Sunday, the water level in the dam stood at 40.34 feet, well below its full capacity of 49.53 ft. Only 66.32 MLD is currently being drawn, against the agreed supply of 101.4 MLD.

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Indian Express
6 days ago
- Indian Express
2,639 persons rescued across state, Surat city records 242 mm of rain in eight hours as downpour disrupts life for second day
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Four students stuck in a car near Sarthana fire station were also relocated to safer areas. A student stuck in P M Bhagat School in Katargam was rescued by the Fire Department. Among the badly-affected talukas of Surat district were Kamrej (187 mm), Palsana (160 mm), Bardoli (122 mm), Olpad (107 mm), Chorasi (90 mm), Mangrol (80 mm) and Mandvi (77 mm). On Sunday, the city had received 7.22 inches (183mm) of rain. At least 1,000 schools in Surat city were shut, said sources. In the Varachha area, officials from the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) fire department rescued 28 students from a school run by the Unnati Charitable Trust after the premises were surrounded by floodwater. The students were shifted to safer locations. Even as several areas remained inundated on Monday, many colleges and schools were closed by the authorities. At a few schools, the authorities had to inform parents to pick up their wards from the premises with the buildings under deluge. Parents could be seen walking in knee-level deep water to take their children back. According to a statement from the Surat district Education Department, owing to the downpour on Monday, District Collector Dr Sourabh Pardhi 'instructed the schools to give students a holiday in the morning and afternoon session'. 'The school authorities should ensure that students reach home safely,' said the Education Department statement. Despite the disruptions, the Board exams for students reappearing for Class 10 and 12 were conducted at regular timings in Surat city on Monday. The SMC also undertook water de-pumping operations in low-lying and waterlogged areas, including Kaskiwad in Bhagal (Central Zone), Dhanmora Complex in Adajan (Rander Zone), Hodi Bungalow (Central Zone), Gotalwadi (Katargam Zone), and Prime Arcade (Rander Zone). Traffic resumed after water levels subsided. Due to continuous rain and rising inflow from upper catchment areas into the Tapi river, the weir-cum-causeway was closed to commuters on Monday afternoon. SMC Commissioner Shalini Agrawal monitored the situation from the ICCC (Integrated Command and Control Centre), reviewing CCTV footage and issuing instructions to civic officials for road clearance and traffic management. The Surat division of Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) cancelled over 200 city bus trips, and buses from other districts were diverted to avoid waterlogged routes, said sources. GSRTC officials said buses entering Surat were instructed to halt at the Surat Central Bus Depot or reroute as necessary. Two district panchayat roads in Mandvi taluka were also closed off to the public after they got submerged, officials said. According to the SEOC, out of 251 talukas in Gujarat, 135 received rainfall till Monday 6 pm. 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New Indian Express
6 days ago
- New Indian Express
Siruvani water supply hit in Coimbatore after pipeline damage, ongoing repairs underway
COIMBATORE: Drinking water supply from the Siruvani Dam to the residential areas of the Coimbatore district has been severely affected following back-to-back pipeline works that are being carried out by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board and the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) over the past week. The disruption began earlier last week when the civic body began to carry out critical interlinking works, reducing the supply from 100 million litres per day (MLD) to 50 MLD. These works aim to connect the Siruvani pipeline with the Pillur Scheme-3 to improve water management during periods of low dam storage. Just as the works neared completion, a fresh setback occurred last Friday. A major Siruvani pipeline was accidentally damaged during road-widening work by the State Highways Department near Kalampalayam on the Siruvani Main Road. The mishap led to the loss of thousands of litres of treated drinking water and disrupted supply to areas like Kurichi and Kuniyamuthur. The TWAD Board is now working on emergency repairs. Officials said full restoration of the supply is expected soon after the remaining joint-packing and repair works are completed. As of Sunday, the water level in the dam stood at 40.34 feet, well below its full capacity of 49.53 ft. Only 66.32 MLD is currently being drawn, against the agreed supply of 101.4 MLD.


New Indian Express
18-06-2025
- New Indian Express
Siruvani water supply halved amid pipeline works, to be restored on June 19
COIMBATORE: Residents across Siruvani river-fed areas in the city faced a sharp dip in drinking water supply on Tuesday, as the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) carried out crucial pipeline works under the Siruvani water supply scheme. The water supply from Siruvani Dam, managed by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board, was temporarily cut down by half - from 100 million litres per day (MLD) on Monday to 50 MLD on Tuesday. According to senior officials in CCMC's water supply wing, the shortfall was necessitated due to pipeline interlinking works currently under way at Gandhipark. The civic body is connecting the Siruvani pipeline running through Bharathi Park road with the Pillur 3 water supply scheme to ensure swifter and more efficient water diversion during emergencies, especially in peak summer. "During the drier season, water levels in the Siruvani Dam often fall short of full capacity. Moreover, water is sometimes released prematurely by Kerala authorities, before the dam reaches full storage. At such times, we draw additional water from the Pillur schemes to support affected areas," said a senior official. To streamline this transfer, a diverter valve along with an interlinking pipeline is being installed between the two supply lines to aid the city to better manage erratic summer supply issues. Officials confirmed that most of the work is complete, with only the final concrete packing of pipelines and joints remaining. "We expect to finish this by Wednesday and resume full 100 MLD water supply by Thursday," the official added. Meanwhile, residents are advised to conserve water wherever possible.