KOCHI:In some parts of the city, people are getting worried over the discolouration of water they get at homes. Though the pump houses in the district were restored recently, the worries of people regarding water are on the rise. Reema Devi, a resident of Paravoor, says that earlier when the pumps were restored, the pipe water was filled with sediments. Though their intensity reduced, she is wary of using the water due to the discoloration. "Water from the pipelines still have discoloration. But we have no other choice but to use them," she said.
"Sometimes, the water from taps is discoloured. We usually boil the water for drinking purpose and use tap water for washing clothes and utensils,” said Jessy Thomas, a Kaloor resident.Similar concerns were raised by residents of Kathrikadavu. "The discoloration of water still exists. We cannot always rely on packaged drinking water. Ours is a five-member family. Therefore we use the drinking water supplied through the taps," said Geetha, a resident of Kathrikadavu.
Meanwhile, authorities say that there are no issues with the water pumping from the pump houses. "The Aluva water treatment plant has started functioning from Aug 19 evening itself. The raw water pumped in goes through a three-tier filtration process, and there are no pollutants in them. If there is a continuous supply of water through the pipelines, the discoloration due to sediments will not occur. Intermissions in water supply through the pipelines can sometimes cause discoloration. But there is nothing to be afraid of. Boiling water will help," said Anil Kumar Augustine, Assistant Executive Engineer.
“Almost all the major pumps, such as Chowara plant and Nettur plant, and minor pumps have become operational. At the Aluva water treatment plant, we are supplying 290 million litres per day, and there will not be any shortage of the water,” he added.
"Though the water is treated properly, hidden sediments will be present. The retention of the treated water is essential for the completion of the treatment process. Since the water is treated there will not be any harm in consuming them. Self-filtration can also be done," said G Bindu, Environmental Scientist.