Kochi Water to sell more

KOCHI: With the ‘Kochi Water’ project initiated jointly by the Kerala State Women Development Corporation and the Kochi Corporation becoming a great success, the KSWDC, has planned to expand the project to other parts of the state. Under the scheme, Kudumbasree workers sell purified packaged drinking water at Rs 1 per litre. The water treatment units set up in Kochi Corporation limits have turned out to be a great success.

The unique concept of empowering women through the supply of safe and pure drinking water is getting wider acceptance. With a nominal investment of Rs 25 lakh, the KSWDC is able to give employment opportunities to 10 women in each water treatment unit. “The plan is to set up around 250 plants by the end of the fiscal,” said Mr P.T.M. Sunish, managing director of KSWDC.

At present ‘Kochi Water’ units are functioning in Pandikudy in Fort Kochi, Edappally, Chilavannuur and Ravipuram within the city limits and plans are afoot to set up plants in 10 more divisions. The project has also been successfully implemented in Malappuram, Kasargod and Palakkad municipalities. More local bodies from other districts are approaching KSWDC to set up plants in their areas.

'Kochi Water' will be the purest among other brands as water drawn from the well passes through seven stages of purification. “The fully automated plant at Pandikudy can treat an average of 2,000 litres per hour and 2,400 jars of pure water of 20-litre capacity each can be produced per day. The water produced in this plant meets or exceeds World Health Organisation standards and Indian standards ISI050. The water samples are sent to the regional analytical laboratory, Kakkanad, every fortnight to check their quality,” said Mr Eby Thomas, managing director of Dharana Infrastructure Projects Limited, the firm which operates and maintains the unit. “For the city residents who spend '50 for 20 litres of purified water, 'Kochi Water' will be a big relief as Kudumbasree will provide bottles at '20,” said Mayor Soumini Jain.