KOCHI: As part of its efforts to promote green techniques and to avoid the dependency on the public water supply system, the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) is planning to formulate a comprehensive Water Management Policy.
Under the proposed policy, the agency is looking into the possibilities of attaining self-sufficiency in water requirements for its stations and yard through rainwater harvesting. The preliminary steps have been already launched and the Water Institute of the SCMS Cochin School of Business will conduct a feasibility study on rain harvesting.
At present, the KMRL’s water bill comes to Rs 15 lakh every month. For stations, it requires water mainly for cleaning. The plan is to develop an integrated and systematic effort to utilise the rainwater wisely.
This, according to KMRL officers, will have both financial as well as social impact.
In the financial side, KMRL will be able to save the huge water bill while on the social side, the agency is looking to save the quantity of water it uses every day. If KMRL is able to find water through rain harvesting to meet its day-to-day needs, the water in the public supply system can be saved and distributed in areas which face acute water shortage, especially during the summer.
“KMRL, as part of its green initiatives, is always looking for policies that will help in saving energy, land and water. The water management policy is a part of our efforts to meet the water requirements through natural means including rain harvesting so as to reduce dependency on public water distribution system,” said KMRL managing director A P M Mohammed Hanish.
The idea is to explore the possibilities of rain harvesting at KMRL’s Muttom yard, the viaducts along the Metro stretch and at stations. Various techniques like rooftop rainwater harvesting, catchments and ponds will be considered. The apt technique will be adopted on the basis of the feasibility study.
The Water Institute is carrying out the feasibility study free of cost. The study will look into KMRL’s existing water usage pattern. It will also carry out a water audit as part of the study. The Institute will also provide technical assistance to KMRL in implementing various elements under the policy.
For the implementation of the project, KMRL will look into various modes including PPP (Public Private partnership) as wells as the CSR funds of various companies.