Kochi faces water shortage after KWA plant breakdowns

Several parts of Kochi are facing an acute drinking-water shortage after back-to-back disruptions at Kerala Water Authority treatment plants in Aluva and Maradu.

KWA shut its raw-water pumping station at Pazhoor on Monday to carry out urgent repair work for the Maradu treatment plant, the second-largest treatment plant in Ernakulam.

Pumping from Pazhoor had fallen to 85 million litres per day from 96 MLD after strainers covering the pump valves became clogged with waste and weeds.

A senior KWA official said repairs were expected to be completed within a day, but normal pumping would take another two days to resume because airlocks had developed in the pipeline after the shutdown.

“It will take two to three days to resume supply after completing the repair. Pumping from Pazhoor had dropped to 85 MLD from 96 MLD after strainers covering the pump valves got clogged with waste and weeds. We expect to complete the repairs within a day, but it will take another two days to resume normal pumping from Pazhoor after clearing airlocks in the pipeline caused by the shutdown. Once the pumping capacity is restored to 96 MLD, the water crisis will be resolved in several parts of the city to a certain extent,” the official said.

Supply from the Aluva treatment plant was also disrupted after a pipe burst near Thrikkakara on Wednesday night.

KWA completed repairs at the Aluva plant and resumed pumping by Thursday night, but supply to many areas, particularly tail-end localities, had not been restored.

The prolonged shortage prompted the Residents Associations Coordination Council to stage a march to the KWA superintending engineer’s office on Monday.

“ For the past two years, several areas in the central part of the city have been facing drinking water shortage. Since the partial collapse of a storage tank at Thammanam, the situation has worsened,” said K S Dileep Kumar, president of the RACO TD Road unit.

He also alleged that several pipeline leaks remained unresolved.

“There is a hole in the pipe passing along Mullassery Canal near TD Road. Though we raised the issue with KWA several months ago, neither the water utility nor the private company entrusted with maintenance of the city water supply system has acted,” he added.

The disruption has also increased demand for private water tankers.

A resident of Beena-Anchumana Road said a tanker supplying 6,000 litres charged Rs 1,800, which was Rs 300 above the normal rate.