With the asbestos roof of the old water treatment plant at Chowara blown away in the thunderstorm on Wednesday night and power lines broken by an uprooted tree, pumping from the old and new plants was affected.
The electric lines had snapped around 5.30 p.m. on Wednesday and were restored on Thursday afternoon, facilitating pumping from the plants by 3.30 p.m. on the day.
According to senior officials at the Kerala Water Authority (KWA), damage caused to the roof could be pegged at about ₹20 lakh. Another ₹5 lakh would be needed for refurbishing the area and other repairs. A detailed assessment is being prepared.
Restoration work would take time, but temporary work was on, said the officials.
The old water treatment plant at Chowara, set up in 1912, generates 10 million litres per day (mld) and supplies water to Nedumbassery, Kanjoor, Sreemoolanagram, Chengamanad, Parakkadavu and part of Kunnukara and Cochin International Airport.