Jamshedpur, June 19: Delayed monsoon has aggravated the water problems in the steel city.

Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company (Jusco), a cent percent subsidiary of Tata Steel, is toying with the idea to restrict water supply in the Tisco and non-Tisco areas if weather conditions fail to improve in a few days.

Jusco caters to the civic amenities in the city. Company sources said the water and waste water management department of Jusco is keeping a close watch on the water level at Subarnarekha as well as at the Dimna reservoir.

The water of Dimna reservoir has dipped significantly due to the absence of any rainfall in the last one month.

?We will be compelled to restrict the water supply in the residential areas if the weather fails to improve in the next couple of days. The level of water at the Dimna reservoir has dipped to 518 feet, which is matter of concern for us,? said a senior official of Jusco?s water and waste water management department.

For the past couple of days Jusco has stopped drawing water from the reservoir so that in case of emergency the water from the reservoir can be utilised for domestic and industrial purposes, added the official.

Statistics available with the water management department showed that last year till this time, the city had witnessed a rainfall of 150 mm.

But, this year, the quantum of rainfall was only 20 mm. This has affected the conservation of water at the Dimna reservoir, which supplies drinking water to various localities in the city.

?If the monsoons are delayed by more than a week, we will be forced to curtail water supply in the Tisco and non-Tisco areas,? said G.S. Basu, chief of water and waste water management to The Telegraph.

With the onset of summer, Jusco is supplying water thrice a day in the residential localities within Tisco and non-Tisco areas.

Jusco officials said in case of a extreme situation, they might also approach the authorities of Subarnarekha Multi-purpose Project (SMP) to open the sluice gates of Chandil Dam so that water level of Subarnarekha rises.

The weather office sources, on their part, said the monsoons will not hit the city before June 22.

The maximum temperature in the city is hovering between 43 to 45 degree Celsius resulting in drying up of major water sources including river, lakes and reservoirs.

The water level at Sitarampur dam, which supplies water in the residential and industrial areas of Adityapur in the adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawan district, has also gone down drastically.

Officials of Sitarampur dam said water supply in Adityapur would also have to be restricted because of delayed monsoons. The city has been facing irregular supply of water and has witnessed protests demanding drinking water in the dry season.