TN: Hogenakkal reservoir levels dip, Dharmapuri faces irregular water supply
Dharmapuri, July 5
Residents in several rural and urban pockets of Tamil Nadu's Dharmapuri district have reported irregular drinking water supply under the Hogenakkal Drinking Water Supply and Fluorosis Mitigation Project, raising concerns over reduced availability of potable water as inflows to the Hogenakkal reservoir continue to decline.
The project, one of Tamil Nadu's largest protected drinking water schemes, supplies water to Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts and serves as the primary source of drinking water for lakhs of residents. However, people in several areas say the frequency and duration of water supply have reduced in recent weeks, forcing many households to cope with longer gaps between supplies.
Residents in rural parts of the district said water, which was earlier supplied daily, is now reaching some localities only once every two or three days. They also claimed that the duration of supply has been reduced significantly, making it difficult for families to store sufficient water for daily needs.
With groundwater levels also falling due to inadequate rainfall, many villages have few alternative sources of drinking water. In parts of Dharmapuri municipality, residents said they have not been receiving water from the Hogenakkal scheme regularly and are instead being supplied through the Panchapalli water project. They alleged that the alternative supply is of comparatively poorer quality and is available only on alternate days, adding to the hardship faced by consumers.
Concerns have also been raised over the management of water distribution at the local level. Public representatives and residents have alleged that groundwater is being mixed with treated Hogenakkal water in several local bodies to meet demand.
They argued that such practices dilute the benefits of the fluorosis mitigation project, which was designed to provide safe, treated drinking water to areas historically affected by high fluoride levels in groundwater.
Officials associated with the Hogenakkal water supply project, however, maintained that there has been no reduction in the quantity of water being produced or supplied. They said the project continues to deliver around 145 million litres per day to Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts despite lower inflows at Hogenakkal.
According to officials, additional filtration measures have been introduced because of the changing water conditions, while responsibility for ensuring equitable distribution to consumers rests with the respective local bodies.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The Hogenakkal project was supposed to solve our fluoride problem, but now they're mixing groundwater with it? That defeats the whole purpose. People in my village still have yellow teeth from the old water. We need accountability from local bodies, not just assurances from officials.
Living in Krishnagiri and facing same issues. The Panchapalli water they give as alternative is not good - it has a funny taste and we have to boil it. Meanwhile officials say '145 MLD supplied' like it's a joke. We are not getting that amount for sure! 😠
I understand the challenges of reservoir levels dipping due to poor rainfall, but the district administration should have been more proactive with contingency plans. Mixing treated water with groundwater is risky - it could reintroduce the very contaminants the project was meant to remove. Time for some real water management reforms in TN.
Respectfully, the officials are either lying or disconnected from ground reality. My family in Dharmapuri town hasn't seen Hogenakkal water in 10 days - it's all from Panchapalli. And the water quality? Let's just say I'm glad I don't live there full time anymore. This is a failure of distribution management, not water shortage.
As a housewife managing the household, I can tell you the gaps are unbearable. We used to get water every morning and store for the day. Now we have to coordinate with neighbours and sometimes go to the borewell in the next street. The government should have rain water harvesting structures
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