This summer, coal town residents may not have to wrestle for water.

And that is because all the water bodies in the district — Maithon Lake, the Damodar river and Topchanchi Lake — from which water is supplied to different parts of Dhanbad are flowing at better levels compared to earlier summers.

The Maithon Lake, from which water is supplied to Dhanbad town and its surrounding areas, has taken the lead as it is flowing at 147m (482 feet), the best level in the last six summers.

The Damodar, from which water is supplied to Jharia and parts of Katras, is flowing at 456 feet — much above the 440-foot level of May last year.

The Topchanchi Lake, which was de-silted last year leading to increase in its catchment area, is flowing at 38 feet and is expected to comfortably supply water for the rest of May.

Executive engineer of drinking water and sanitation department Harendra Kumar Mishra, who is looking after water supply to Dhanbad from the Maithon Lake, said good rainfall was responsible for the water-level cheer.

“Periodic rains in January, February, March and April have helped in reaching a comfortable water level at the lake this summer,” he said.

“We don’t see any immediate hurdle in supplying water continuously this year,” he added.

He said the water level of the lake in May is the best in the last six years.

The lake was flowing at 453.83 feet in the second week of May 2019, 466.86 feet during May 2018, 463.48 feet in May 2017, 444.81 feet in May 2016 and 453.64 feet in May 2015.

“We don’t need any rationing in water supply at the present level and expect to supply water without delay as long as there are occasional spells of rainfall,” said Mishra.

Similar is the situation of the Damodar, which is flowing at 456 feet, higher than its average level of 450 feet.

Pankaj Kumar Jha, sub-divisional officer of the water supply division of the civic body Mineral Area Development Authority, said: “We are comfortable at the present level of 456 feet.

“Though we are required to make a temporary barrage in the river near our water treatment plant at Jamadoba during the summers when the water level dips below

the 450-foot level to ensure continuous water supply to the treatment plant, this summer we don’t have to make the barrage as the river level isflowing 6 feet above the average level of 450 feet.”

The situation of Topchanchi Lake, which supplies water to parts of Katras including Panchgarhi Bazar, is also comfortable at 38 feet, much above the lowest level of 28 feet, the minimum level needed to supply water in these perennially parched areas.