KOZHIKODE: The residents of Koyilandy, Vadakara and nearby towns have been getting salty water for drinking purposes for the last few months. They fear that the high sodium content in the water supplied by the Kerala Water Authority may damage their health. “The salty water has caused my hair loss. It is bad for my children’s health also,” said Reshma Sathish, a bank employee residing at Vadakara town. “When we wash fruits, vegetables, rice and dishes, the remnants of sodium remain on them. We are now buying water from private sources,” she added.
“We doubt that the KWA draws water from the sea and purifies it. In that case the water will have a percentage of sodium,” Reshma opined. But the officials said that the water for most parts of Vadakara region was taken from Kurakottu Kadavu and Gulligapuzhya which is part of Kuttiyadi river. It is supplied to the residents after treating it at the Vadakara plant of the water authority, they said.
“The water pumped from Kuttiyadi river has salt content and hence even after treating it, a small amount of salt remains,” a KWA official said. Earlier, a similar situation had arisen when the Peruvannamuzhi dam was opened, but now the threat is there even before the dam is opened. Tests have shown that one litre of water contains 250 to 300 grams of salt. Discussions will be held with the authorities to rectify the issue and find a new source of water, he said.
