Nashik: Major and minor dams in the district are now left with water at only 40 per cent capacity in storages across 23 structures. While the average water levels in the district were pegged at 40 per cent, water levels in dams supplying water to the city municipal corporation had better stock – though not at par with water levels at this time last year.“The entire district had 26.146 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water in store, which is 40 per cent of 65.814 TMC capacity of the 23 storage structures put together. The situation is worrisome, but under control,” a source at the water resources department (WRD) said.With the on-going cold wave, the need for water is going unnoticed. There are farmers and villagers who are pleading for safe and good drinking water in villages. “The cold wave definitely has cut down demand for water but it will not last. Also this was limited to a few areas, as the temperature remained higher or soared during the day in the eastern areas of the district. The major demands are from the same areas – the drought-hit talukas falling in these areas,” a senior officer said, adding that once temperature starts soaring, as is expected in the first week of March, demand for water would spike too.“Water has been reserved by the canal advisory committee headed by the district collector for drinking purpose and the same would be released through canals as per rotations planned for various towns and regional water supply schemes. The villages which do not have reach of canals will however get drinking water supply through tankers,” the officer said.As against 40 per cent (26.146 TMC) water available today, last year the availability of water at this time was 58 per cent (38.485 TMC). This was largely because the district received 85 per cent of annual rain in 2018 as against 106 per cent in the year 2017.

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