THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Old pipelines in the city continue to be a source of worry for residents who have to frequently deal with the problem of the water supply shortage. A leaking joint in a 900mm premo pipe at Ambalamukku Junction on Monday evening is yet another case of old pipes being the reason for leaks and pipe bursts which has led to a recurring water supply shortage in the city.
The water supply was hit in several areas of the city such as Kowdiar, Ulloor and Kazhakoottam after a leaking joint was detected in the 900mm premo pipe. As soon as the leak was detected, the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) initiated the repair work. However, there was a disruption of water supply in major parts of the city. “We started the repair work on Monday evening itself as the water supply was affected from Kowdiar to Kazhakoottam region. Many households also reported water shortage. It could be termed as a joint leak which happens due to ageing of pipes, corrosion of the materials at the pipe joints or due to pressure deviations,” said R V Santhosh Kumar, executive engineer, PH division (Thiruvananthapuram North).
The supply was affected in areas under the KWA Kowdiar sub-division such as Ambalamukku, Peroorkada, Kowdiar, Vellayambalam, Jawahar Nagar, Kuravankonam, Nanthancode, Vayalikkada, Choozhampala, Marappalam, Nalanchira, Muttada, Madathunada, Paruthippara, Ulloor, Kesavadasapuram, Pattom, Chalakkuzhi, Kumarapuram and Murinjapalam. The officials said although there was no acute shortage of water supply, water was supplied to some areas in tanker lorries owing to the complaints raised by the residents. However, the leak was found in the joint between the pipes and work was completed on Tuesday by 2pm.
NOT AN ISOLATED CASE
In November, a 700mm diameter premo pipe burst at Ambalamukku Junction had led to the caving of a portion of the road. It was considered to be a major leak as it was one of the main lines and the supply was disrupted in areas such as the Ulloor, Peroorkada, Kowdiar, Medical College where Peroorkada was one among the worst-affected areas. However, these continuous leaks point to the requirement of the immediate replacement of the old pipelines with new ones and also procure equipment that would help in detecting the leaks at the earliest to avoid water supply shortage caused due to leaks.