Kerala Water Authority to Transfer Kaloor Reservoir to SUEZ
The Kerala Water Authority is handing over a 40-lakh-litre unused overhead reservoir in Kaloor, Kochi, to French firm SUEZ. SUEZ will manage drinking water supply operations within Kochi Corporation limits.
Key takeaways
- The Kerala Water Authority is transferring a 40-lakh-litre reservoir in Kaloor, Kochi, to SUEZ.
- The unused reservoir is intended to enhance the drinking water distribution network within Kochi Corporation.
- This transfer aims to improve water supply reliability and address shortages in certain city areas.
- Currently, only six out of thirteen overhead reservoirs in Kochi are operational.
The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) is preparing to transfer a large, unused overhead reservoir located in Kaloor, Kochi, to the French company SUEZ. SUEZ is responsible for the operation and maintenance of drinking water supply within the Kochi Corporation's boundaries.
What Happened
The KWA will soon hand over the 40-lakh-litre capacity reservoir in Kaloor. This facility, described as the largest of its kind in Kochi, has been unutilized for some time. The KWA aims to potentially use the tank to support the distribution network currently served by the Thammanam tank, acting as a reserve in case of supply interruptions.
The intention is to use the Kaloor tank to bolster the distribution network connected to the Thammanam tank. This could improve water availability in areas at the end of the supply lines, including Kaloor, Pachalam, Vaduthala, and Palarivattom. The KWA attributes the non-use of this and other overhead storage reservoirs (OHSRs) in the city to a shortage in water volume available for distribution.
Of the 13 OHSRs in Kochi, only six are currently operational. Some unutilized tanks are over two decades old, while even newer ones remain out of service. The Kaloor tank, sanctioned approximately 10 years ago under the AMRUT project to increase water supply within the Corporation, is now slated for utilization. The KWA source indicated that making these tanks functional is not solely dependent on water volume availability.
Other unutilized facilities include two 18-lakh-litre tanks at Camp Shed and Kadavanthra, a 15-lakh-litre tank at Ravipuram, and 13-lakh and 10-lakh-litre tanks at Edakochi and Thevara, respectively. The KWA believes that systematically connecting all distribution pipelines to these OHSRs can effectively manage residual pressure, ensuring equitable water distribution. This initiative can commence without waiting for the 190 MLD water treatment plant to become operational.
Operational tanks include a 14.2-lakh-litre facility in Fort Kochi, a 22-lakh-litre reservoir in Mattancherry, two 18.2-lakh-litre tanks in Koovappadam and Thoppumpady, a 25-lakh-litre tank in Karuvelipady, a 15-lakh-litre facility in Vaduthala, and a 17-lakh-litre tank in Pachalam.
Key Facts
- The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) will hand over its 40-lakh-litre overhead reservoir at Kaloor, Kochi, to French firm SUEZ.
- SUEZ manages the operation and maintenance of drinking water supply within Kochi Corporation limits.
- The Kaloor reservoir is the largest of its kind in the city and has been unused.
- The KWA plans to use the tank to supplement the distribution network of the Thammanam tank, acting as a reserve for supply disruptions.
- Areas potentially benefiting from this include Kaloor, Pachalam, Vaduthala, and Palarivattom.
- Out of 13 OHSRs in the city, only six are operational.
- The Kaloor tank was sanctioned around 10 years ago under the AMRUT project.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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