Shimla, Aug 8
Shimla’s daily water supply has dropped by 12 million liters per day following a significant rise in the turbidity of the Giri River, which serves as a key water source for the town.
A spokesperson from Shimla Jalparbhandhan Nigam Limited (SJPNL) reported that the Giri River’s turbidity levels spiked to 11,300 NTU on Thursday, a sharp increase from 9,200 NTU on Wednesday.
This heightened turbidity, caused by silt and floodwaters carrying large logs, resulted in the suspension of water supply from the Giri River.
The Giri Water Supply Scheme, typically delivering around 18 million liters per day (MLD), experienced a severe reduction to 5.79 MLD on Thursday, down from 17.79 MLD on Wednesday before the onset of heavy monsoon rains.
SJPNL spokesperson Sahil Sharma informed a news agency that Shimla received a total of 36.14 MLD of water from all sources on Thursday, which is approximately 12 MLD below the usual supply. The distribution of water supply from various sources on August 8 was as follows:
– Gumma: 21.03 MLD
– Giri: 5.79 MLD
– Churot: 3.51 MLD
– Seog: 0.72 MLD
– Chairh: 1.17 MLD
– Koti Brandy: 3.92 MLD
In contrast, on August 7, Shimla received:
– Gumma: 16.91 MLD
– Giri: 17.60 MLD
– Churot: 3.44 MLD
– Seog: 0.55 MLD
– Chairh: 1.44 MLD
– Koti Brandy: 4.19 MLD
This brought the total to 44.13 MLD.
Last week, the town’s water supply had already been reduced to 14.25 MLD due to blockages caused by heavy logs and increased turbidity. At the New Gumma Head weir, a wooden log had obstructed the raw water gravity line. This obstruction has since been cleared, allowing the resumption of water supply from this source.
Residents of Shimla are advised to use drinking water sparingly due to the reduced supply and potential contamination risks. It is recommended that water be boiled before consumption during this rainy season to ensure safety.
According to the State Disaster Management Authority, about 15 water supply schemes have been affected by the recent rainfall.
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