2019 Chennai water crisis

[7] This practice was allowed by the government and resulted in the groundwater aquifer to be drained dramatically at twice the level of annual recharge.

[7] The government also faced pressure on their management of the city’s four main reservoirs; Poondi, Cholavaram, Redhills and Chembarambakkam.

[9] Chennai has historically relied on annual monsoon rains to replenish its water reservoirs since the rivers are polluted with sewage.

There are four reservoirs in the city, namely, Red Hills, Cholavaram, Poondi and Chembarambakkam, with a combined capacity of 11,057 mcft.

[11] A major heatwave in India from May to June 2019 further increasing the problem by evaporating any water still left in reservoirs.

A lack of rainwater and groundwater has left four reservoirs that supply water to the city completely dry.