Vadodara gripped with water crisis

VADODARA: Though last fortnight saw the city receiving a good spell of rain, the city might well be in for a water crisis in months to come as it is not yet received adequate rainfall to help tide over the city''s water requirement.
Though deputy municipal commissioner Mukesh Thakkar said the Ajwa water level was 205 ft and the city was "comfortably placed", not many in the Vadodara Municipal Corporation shared his optimism.
Corporator Chandrakant Srivastav said 205 feet was way below the optimum mark of 211 feet that is required to fill the Ajwa Sarovar. "Last year, the level at the end of the monsoon was 209 feet. This level with supply from Mahi French wells was barely able to meet the city''s requirement. This time the French wells would not be able to supplement the city''s water requirement as the water in Mahi was saline due to inflow of seawater.
However, Thakkar said, "The water take off is good, and we are able to supply 130 litres per person per day. This is a comfortable position, though the standard supply should be 140 litres in urban areas," he said.
According to him, the distribution system of the city needs mending as many connections have not been designed correctly and are given without regard to the capacity of the main water supply channel.
According to Srivastav, the state government has not given a thought to plans of constructing a weir across the Mahi. And, diverting Narmada waters here would not help in the current year.