Kochi: The drinking water situation in several parts of the district is grim even before the onset of summer and projects that are supposed to bring additional water to the city are yet to materialise. The Periyar river, which is threatened by industrial pollution and saline water intrusion, is still the only drinking water source for the entire city and suburbs.
The JNNURM funded Piravom drinking water project and the district collector's proposal to use water from granite quarries are yet to be commissioned.
Though pipe-laying works and construction of treatment plant at Maradu for the Piravom project have been completed, disputes related to acquisition of some plots at Piravom delayed commissioning of the project.
The district collector has sorted out the issue and the project is expected to be completed by March.
"Once commissioned, the project is expected to bring 100 MLD water to parched areas in West Kochi and neighbouring panchayats like Kumbalangi, Kumbalam, Chellanam and Maradu municipality.
Though the full capacity of the project may not be attained in the initial phase due to lack of pipeline network, it can definitely cater to the water needs of a larger area,” said K.J. Sohan, corporation town planning committee chairman.
After there was scarcity of drinking water in March last year, the district administration began a Rs 60 lakh pilot project at a quarry at Ambalappara near Kakkanad.
What is the project? what is source of water?Though tenders were floated and the district Nirmithi Kendra has been appointed as the nodal agency for the project, it has been stuck midway.
District collector P.I. Sheikh Pareeth told Deccan Chronicle that three companies are in the running.
"The companies have submitted different technologies. A committee has been appointed to finalise the technology for purifying quarry water. The companies have quoted Rs 16 lakh for doing what? total cost?while the government has allocated only Rs 11 lakh," he said.
The pilot project is for purifying 5000 litres of water per hour. Total daily production will be 30,000 litres. The production cost will be Rs 2 per litre.
