Piravom project may save Kochi

KOCHI: Kochi residents’ water woes may get a respite soon with the Kerala Water Authority all set to fully commission its Piravom project in February this year.

The project will supply 100 million litres a day (MLD) to west Kochi and nearby areas, and contribute significantly to meet the water demands of the city which has touched 480 MLD.

KWA has missed its original 2012 deadline for commissioning the project but has of late been augmenting its capacity. “At present we pump 50 MLD from Pazhoor to Maradu and the project is expected to be fully commissioned by February,” said S. Haris, superintending engineer, KWA, who is in charge of the Rs 250-crore project.

KWA officials dismissed the possibility of the project meeting the same fate as that of the Choondy project which is facing acute shortage of water thanks to the depleting water level at the intake well.

“The Piravom project’s intake point at Pazhoor is in the upstream of the Muvattupuzha river,” he pointed out. “Enough water is discharged from Malankara dam and hence there will be sufficient water at Pazhoor even during summer days.”

Once the project is commissioned and the distribution network becomes fully operational, the city will get additional 20 MLD water which will take the burden off the Periyar river, the main water source of greater Kochi.

Some of the major consumers like Cochin Port Trust and Naval Base, which take water from the Aluva line, will be shifted to the Piravom line, making surplus water available in the area.