Elevated regions in the city face water shortage

Thiruvananthapuram: The elevated regions in the city have started to face water shortage even before the summer season. The situation will remain so for a while as it is expected that it will take more than a year to commission the proposed water supply schemes of Kerala water authority (KWA).
In addition to this, the existing capacity of Peppara dam has to be increased to its full reservoir level to implement new water supply schemes in Aruvikkara.

The KWA has begun works for a new scheme under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) at Aruvikkara. The authority expects around 18 months to complete the 75-mld project.

The huge task in front of KWA is to increase the availability of water. KWA is currently drawing around 270 million litres of water per day from Aruvikkara dam, situated downstream of Peppara.

In order to draw more water, KWA has to raise the water level of Peppara dam from its current maximum level of 107.5 metres to its full reservoir level (FRL) of 110.5 metres.

As raising the water level will affect adjoining forest area, permission from Union ministry of environment and forests is needed for the work. The KWA has filed an application to raise the level to FRL. Sources in KWA said that survey has begun to find out the areas of forest land that will be submerged if the water level of Peppara dam is raised.

An earlier study by KWA had ruled out major submergence of forest areas. It had found that some areas, which provide connectivity to Podiyakala tribal settlement, will be submerged and it could be compensated by constructing another road parallel to it.

Sources in KWA said that the application to Union ministry had to be uploaded online and it was a time-consuming process. The state government had decided to submit a request to the Union government to raise water level at Peppara following the 2017 drought, which affected water supply to the city.

In addition to the 75mld treatment plant, KWA will commission a bottling water plant that will utilize around 7,500 litres of water per day.

According to Daivamani Commission report, 1997, the total storage capacity of Aruvikkara and Peppara dams put together is only about 72 million cubic metres. To meet water shortage it has been proposed to construct a dam at Moonnattumukku in Karamana River, 8km downstream of Peppara dam. The KWA, however, has ignored this proposal.