KOCHI: Water pipe bursts have become a recurrent problem in Kochi, with frequent incidents of major underground pipes bursting and wasting precious drinking water on the roads. Recent incidents at Thammanam and Palarivattom have brought attention to the poor condition of the pipes. One significant issue arising from these bursts is the disruption of water supply to a large area, causing distress to the residents.
“The bursting of water pipes has become a common occurrence, and when it happens repeatedly in the same area, questions naturally arise about the quality of the repair works undertaken by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA),” said Ajith Kumar, the general secretary of Ernakulam District Residents’ Association Apex Council (EDRAAC). According to him, when contacted, the KWA engineers said that the process of changing the pipes with PVC ones is being undertaken.“Another cause of concern resulting from the leaks developed in the pipes is the potential contamination of drinking water.
As you can observe, nearly all water pipes run alongside canals and drains, which increases the likelihood of dirty water seeping into the mains if a crack develops in the pipes,” he added. Residents of Deshabhimani Road, Ashoka Road, Masjid Lane, Unity Lane, Punnookudy Lane and Grace Lane had to go without water for 15 days.
According to Shakeer, the councillor of Pottakuzhi 72 division, which includes these areas, when they approached the KWA engineers, they were informed that the cause of the water supply disruption was the pipe burst at Palarivattom.
“Even after the burst was repaired, it would still take time for the water to reach all the areas. According to KWA, the water pressure has been boosted, but it would still take at least five days for water to reach all the areas,” he said.
Addressing the pipe bursts requires replacing all the old primo water pipes. “However, it is not feasible to change all the old pipes in a single go,” said a KWA engineer.
According to the engineer, funding is a major issue for this project. Another KWA engineer added, “The process of replacing old pipes with PVC ones has already begun, and we expect that such pipe bursts will soon be minimised.”