Kerala: KWA to provide 65 lakh litres of water to Ayyappa devotees

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has completed arrangements to store and distribute 65 lakh litres of water at Sabarimala during the mandala-makaravilakku season. In addition to an existing facility to store 40 lakh litres of water, KWA completed works to distribute 25 lakh litres at Nilakkal. Around 2 lakh devotees are expected to reach Sabarimala per day.
Three steel panel tanks of five lakh litre capacity and 215 Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) tanks of 5000 litres have been arranged at Nilakkal. Additional 25 lakh litres of water will be brought to Nilakkal from Pampa, Seetathodu, Perinad-Attikkayam treatment plants. Twenty tanker lorries were arranged to bring water to Nilakkal. The water tankers will operate 24 hours.

KWA's water treatment plant at Pampa-Triveni has a capacity to treat 13 million litres of water per day. Electro chlorinator has been arranged to ensure quality of water.

The recent flood had damaged KWA’s treatment plant, pump house, pump and transformers at Pampa. KWA has to do maintenance to operate the plant following the flood.

Around 60 lakh litres of water will be sent to Pampa and Nilakkal and 70 lakh litres to Sannidhanam. In addition to this, 20 lakh litres will be arranged from Seetathodu. The KWA has also completed laying of new piplines at Nilakkal and Pampa.

KWA has brought 25 reverse osmosis plants to Nilakkal. The RO plants have a capacity to treat 1000 litre per hour. With this, KWA can ensure supply of five lakh litre water. KWA will arrange 300 drinking water kiosks and 900 taps. Already there were two RO plants that could treat 1000 litre per hour. A total of 40,000 litre water could be made available through these facilities. KWA is already utilising 12 RO plants at Pampa and Sharanapatha for treatment of 6.8 lakh litres of water. This water will be made available in 128 kiosks and 288 taps. All RO plants together will contribute 12.20 lakh water.

There will be 12 water dispensers which will provide hot water, cold water and normal water near KSRTC stand, Sannidhanam and Sharamkutti. Already use of plastic drinking water bottles have been banned at the area. KWA hopes that alternate arrangements could meet the drinking watre needs of the devotees. In addition to this, water will be transported using tanker lorries. KWA's laboratory under quality control department will function 24 hours. KWA has also started a control room at Pampa.