Siruvani Waterfalls[1] and the dam named after them are located 35 km (22 mi) west of Coimbatore in the Western Ghats. The reservoir at Siruvani was built for Tamil Nadu by the Kerala government with funds collected by the Tamil Nadu government to meet the drinking water requirements of Coimbatore. The gateways on either side of the road across the dam are typical of the Kerala and Tamil architectural styles. Siruvani is also home to certain tribals like the Mudugars and Irulars. Water from Siruvani River is renowned for its taste and mineral properties, and the view from the falls and the dam is a tourist attraction.The sweetness has been attributed[by whom?] to the vegetation and rocks through which the water flows in the Attapady area. The government gave its approval for construction of the `masonry gravity' dam in February 1915; work did not start immediately; if one correlates the information from the Archaeology Department, Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board and the district gazette. The villagers of Boluvampatti and Alandurai opposed the scheme, as they feared it would affect them. But they were convinced about the benefits of bringing Siruvani water to a town that was growing