The Mangaluru City Corporation has initiated all measures to ensure supply of water to its citizens on priority basis, said Mayor Kavitha Sanil.

Speaking to reporters after inspecting the water-level in the Thumbe vented dam on Saturday, she said that the dam supplies drinking water to the city. The water level in the dam has fallen from its maximum storage level of 5 metre to 4.5 metre, after inflow of water from the river to the dam stopped completely. The mayor, however, added that the situation is slightly better than last year, when the water level in the dam had reached 3.3 metre during the corresponding period.

She said the water available in the dam would be sufficient for 20 to 25 days. About 220 MLD (million litres a day) of water was being used daily including by the Corporation, Mangalore University, Infosys, Bantwal Town Municipality and by farmers.

The water level in the vented dam of the AMR Hydel Power Project at Shambhoor, on the upstream of Thumbe, is 6.1 metre with a storage capacity of 14.25 MCM. The MSEZ and MRPL draw about 15 MGD water from this dam. Keeping in mind evaporation and usage, the water in the AMR dam would be sufficient for 45 days.

The civic authorities have taken all preventive measures to avoid any acute shortage scenario, said Sanil, and called upon the citizens not to waste water but minimise the use of water till the situation becomes normal. The Corporation is doing all it can to supply water. The water supplied from Thumbe dam should not be used for construction activities, cleaning the vehicles and watering the garden, she added.

Stating that the MCC will not go for rationing of water immediately, Sanil said that a meeting of District In-charge Minister B Ramanath Rai with the MLAs, deputy commissioner and representatives of industries would be convened within a week to discuss the availability of water and the preventive measures that need to be taken with regard to supply water.

The Mayor said that she has already directed the officials to furnish complete details on the open wells and borewells under the MCC by Monday. In case of any emergency, the MCC will keep ready pump sets to supply water from borewells and open wells. Even the defunct open wells will be cleaned.