Chennai's Climate Resilience Water Plan

Summary of Chennai Water Security Initiatives

Government Schemes and Policies:

• Water Security Plan: Aimed at making Chennai water- and climate-resilient, initiated by the Water Resources Department (WRD).
• Comprehensive Plan Approval: The State government approved a plan recommending 704 projects worth ₹20,000 crore, focusing on decentralising the water supply in the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA) and mitigating climate change effects.

Infrastructure and Projects:

• Target Year: Aim for water security in Chennai by 2047.
• Storage Capacity: An additional storage capacity of 20.5 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) planned through initiatives under the Chennai City Partnership Programme.
• Freshwater Demand: Estimated demand in Chennai to rise to 22.52 tmcft by 2050, as per Chennai Metrowater's study.
• Priority Projects: WRD to execute 50-60 projects over the next 3-4 years, with initial projects worth ₹3,000 crore expected to harness six tmcft of water.

Conservation and Flood Resilience:

• Enhancements: Plans to enhance storage capacities of 110 existing tanks and major reservoirs, including Poondi.
• New Structures: Construction of new storage facilities and riverine reservoirs along the Palar and Kosasthalaiyar rivers.
• Conservation Strategies: Implementation of low-investment, high-impact conservation measures and the use of existing check dams to improve water retention.

Local Involvement and Community Engagement:

• Decentralised Supply: Local bodies in CMA will be involved in ensuring decentralized water supply infrastructure.
• Groundwater Recharge: Initiatives to create groundwater recharge structures and percolation ponds in seawater intrusion zones (e.g., Minjur and Pazhaverkadu).

International Collaboration:

• Funding Discussions: Ongoing discussions with the World Bank for identifying priority projects and funding support.
• JICA Partnership: Collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for implementing flood mitigation projects in core city areas.

Future Proposals:

• Next Steps: Finalisation of project proposals for the first phase will be followed by seeking approval from the State government.

This initiative demonstrates a comprehensive approach to water conservation in Chennai, taking into account the need for infrastructural improvements, community engagement, and international support to address the challenges posed by climate change and increasing water demands.