THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the Thiruvananthapuram city reeling under soaring temperatures, pipeline bursts in the district have added to the plight of the residents. As the roads are being dug up as part of the SmartCity project work, pipeline bursts have become a regular affair. The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has started playing spoilsport with the taps going dry in Thiruvananthapuram.
Over the past few days, consumers have been complaining of KWA’s drinking water supply getting disrupted in several areas in the city, including Vanchiyoor and Vellayambalam.
However, the KWA has stated that this occurred due to an unexpected pipeline burst at Ambalamukku on Wednesday. At the same time, pipeline bursts at Pottakuzhi, near AKG Park, have also become a regular affair. With heavy traffic towards Medical College Hospital and a few private hospitals in the vicinity, road digging has become a major headache for both the motorists and pedestrians. A senior KWA engineer told TNIE that the primo pipe laid at Pottakuzhy has to be replaced with a new pipe like ductile iron which can withstand the water pressure and also the heavy traffic.
“The pipelines that have been laid in 1999 also need to be removed. However, we are unable to replace the cement pipe and primo pipe due to various reasons. We are looking forward to getting the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board’s funding for laying a new pipeline on the Peroorkada-Manvila stretch which was sanctioned a few years ago. However, following the pandemic, the cost of the equipment skyrocketed,” said a senior KWA engineer.
A major shutdown by the KWA is on the cards from 7am on Saturday. The drinking water supply in Thiruvananthapuram city would be disrupted due to emergency maintenance work on the 74 MLD production plant at Aruvikkara water purifying plant. Initially, the KWA had decided to undertake 86 MLD production plant cleaning as well which had since been undertaken along with the latest pipeline burst at Ambalamukku.
“Periodic works like cleaning the filters and changing the valves are being undertaken at the Aruvikkara 74 MLD plant. With the shutting of only 74 MLD production plants, only half of the places in Thiruvananthapuram will see drinking water supply getting disrupted”, a KWA official told TNIE.
Sad plight
Pipeline bursts at Pottakuzhi, near AKG Park, have become a regular affair
KWA cites an unexpected pipeline burst at Ambalamukku as the reason for shortage in drinking water supply