KWA to float tender for Neyyar water supply project

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala water authority (KWA) will tender the works of Neyyar water supply project, which will provide an alternative source of potable water to the city apart from Peppara dam, this month. The project, which will ensure supply of 100 million litres (MLD) of water per day along with the ongoing 75-MLD project under AMRUT at Aruvikkara, is expected to make city self-sufficient in drinking water generation till 2036. The existing Neyyar dam is an irrigation project and there is no supply of drinking water from here.
The irrigation department has handed over around 3.5 acres in Neyyar for the project. Originally conceived as a project that would require around 5 acres, the KWA had to rework the project as the irrigation department could only provide 3.5 acres. The KWA will be installing a duel media filter unit at the treatment plant which will require less space.

The project is conceived as a 120-MLD water supply scheme. Of the total quantity of drinking water generated, 5 MLD each will be distributed to Maranalloor, Malayinkeezhu, Vilappil and Vilavoorkkal panchayats in the adjoining areas.

KWA officials said that they began steps to tender the project some months ago, but were asked to rework the estimate. “We are getting ready to tender the project this month itself,” KWA chief engineer G Sreekumar said.

Around Rs 60 crore will be required for setting up the treatment plant. However, the estimate for laying pipeline to bring the water from Neyyar to PTP Nagar is around Rs 250 crore. Sreekumar said that Kerala infrastructure investment fund board (KIIFB) would be funding the pipe-laying project. “The plan is to lay pipeline along the left bank canal till Kattakkada. From Kattakkada to PTP, the pipe will be laid on the roadside. We are also looking for alternative routes,” he said.

KWA officials have also started construction of the 75mld treatment plant at Aruvikkara under AMRUT. The projects together would supply 175MLD water to the city. This is in addition to the 270MLD water that is being supplied to the city from Aruvikkara with Peppara as the source.

Last year, when city faced one of the worst droughts, the KWA had to pump water from Kappukadu area of Neyyar reservoir to bring water to Aruvikkara as the Peppara water level hit rock bottom. The demand for an alternative source was raised several years ago. However, KWA began works only last year. The water authority is also initiating steps to raise the maximum level of Peppara dam from the current 107.5 meters to its original full reservoir level of 110.5 metres.