| Chembarambakkam Lake | |
|---|---|
| செம்பரம்பாக்கம் ஏரி (Tamil) | |
 Aerial view of the lake from the southeast | |
  Chembarambakkam Lake | |
| Location | Kancheepuram district,Tamil Nadu,South India |
| Coordinates | 13°00′42″N80°03′38″E / 13.01158°N 80.06063°E /13.01158; 80.06063 |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Primary outflows | Adyar River |
| Basin countries | India |
| Surface area | 3,800 acres (15 km2) |
| Settlements | Chennai |
Chembarambakkam Lake is located inKancheepuram district,Tamil Nadu, India, about 25 km (16 mi) from Chennai. It is the biggest of the two important rain-fed reservoirs, the other one being thePuzhal Lake, that supply drinking water to Chennai city . TheAdyar River originates from this lake. A part of drinking water supply to Chennai metropolis is drawn from this lake. This was the firstartificial lake built byRajendra Chola I, the son ofRajaraja Chola, and Thiripuvana Madeviyar, prince ofKodumbalur.
DuringChennai's water crisis of 2019, Chembarambakkam Lake dried up.[1]
Chembarambakkam lake was known as Puliyur Kottam. It is one of the 24kottams (villages) that existed even during the laterChola period in Thondai Mandalam which hadKanchipuram as its headquarters. The lake was built byRajendra Chola, the son ofRajaraja Chola.[2]
The full tank level is 85.40 ft (26.03 m). The full capacity of the lake is 3,645 million cubic ft (3.64 Tmc ft)(103215 million liters)[3].However, acute sedimentation has eroded more than 40% of its water holding capacity.[4] There is an ancientShiva temple and Kanni Koil located here.[citation needed]
There are two pipelines existing from the lake's water treatment plant. The existing pipeline on Poonamallee Bypass Road has the capacity to convey only half of the 530 million litres that can be treated at the plant. In 2012, Chennai Metrowater started evaluating the feasibility of laying a third pipeline with a diameter of about 2,000 mm from the Chembarambakkam water treatment plant at a cost of₹ 650 million, which will run parallel to the existing one for over 6.5 km.[5]
