Surat: Irrigation department and Ukai dam authorities had ensured that there was sufficient water in the reservoir for drinking purposes in the city during the months of April, May and June. The water level in the dam was now at 295.21 feet and it could go empty if there is delay in the arrival of monsoon, sources said. Ukai dam has capacity to store 7,414 MCM of water at 345 feet, enough to meet the requirements of most of the cities, towns and villages of South Gujarat for at least two years.Most of Ukai dam’s 1,055 million cubic metres (MCM) of water would go once it is released for irrigation by the authorities concerned. “We will be supplying about 450 MCM of water for irrigation in April and May. The remaining water would be reserved for drinking purposes and will be supplied to Surat Municipal Corporation and nagarpalikas,” said Sandip Mahakal, superintendent engineer, Surat irrigation.He added, “There should not be any problem of drinking water until July. But very little quantity of water will be left in the reservoir. A good monsoon in the catchment areas of the dam will help it get refilled up to 90 per cent level.”There is possibility of the reservoir going empty this year, a rare phenomenon to happen in three decades. SMC supplies 1,200 million litres per day (MLD) of water to the citizens in the city. The demand for water goes up to 1,300 MLD in summer months.

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