[1] This Gravity and Masonry dam was built across the Karamana River and was completed in 1972 is used for irrigation and supplying drinking water to the city of Thiruvananthapuram.

The Aruvikkara Dam was built to provide a supply of piped water to the city.

The Trivandrum Water Works was founded in 1933 and named after Lord Willingdon, the Viceroy and Governor-General of India; the company has been responsible for supply and distribution of water from the Karamana River ever since.

[9] Water is pumped from the Aruvikkara reservoir after treatment to the observatory tank which is in a highest plane in the city.

[10] Recently a bottling plant was established on the shores of the Aruvikkara dam utilizing water from the Reservoir.