Wed Jan 22 16:30:14 UTC 2025: ## Chennai to Network Abandoned Quarries for Increased Water Supply
**Chennai, January 23, 2025** – To address Chennai’s growing water needs and enhance its resilience against climate change, the Water Resources Department (WRD) and Chennai Metrowater are proposing to network a cluster of abandoned quarries in the Chengalpattu district. This initiative aims to create a significant new water storage system, potentially exceeding the capacity of existing major reservoirs.
The project will connect quarries in Sikkarayapuram, Erumaiyur, Tiruneermalai, and Chettipunyam. Chennai Metrowater already draws 30 million liters of water daily from Sikkarayapuram quarries, highlighting the feasibility of the plan. The new network is projected to hold 4,000-5,000 million cubic feet (mcft) of water, comparable to or larger than the combined capacity (10,569 mcft) of Chennai’s five major reservoirs.
The project also aims to utilize floodwaters more effectively. A feasibility study will explore diverting floodwater from the Palar river to Uthiramerur quarries. Improvements are planned for the existing channel diverting surplus water from the Chembarambakkam reservoir to Sikkarayapuram. Water from the networked quarries will be integrated into Chennai Metrowater’s existing distribution grid.
A study by Anna University and IIT-Madras supports the project, recommending water diversion from the Chembarambakkam reservoir to minimize water loss through evaporation and improve water supply. The study also suggests diverting water from the Adyar and Palar rivers during monsoon to control flooding and mitigate summer water scarcity. This approach, the study indicates, could reduce annual evaporation losses to a minimum of 82 mcft. The initiative is a significant step towards creating a more water-secure Chennai.
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