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The Maradu Water Treatment Plant with a capacity of 100 million litres a day (mld) conceived to meet the demand of drinking water in the region of up to 2036 was commissioned on Tuesday.

Parts of Kochi Corporation, Maradu Municipality, Kumbalam, Kumbalanghi and Chellanam panchayat are the beneficiaries of the project that brought water from the Muvattupuzha river to the city. The area is expected to have a population of 2.52 lakh by 2036 when the full capacity will be utilised.

Of the total production of 76 mld envisaged in the first phase to meet the expected demand, 26 mld will be provided to the Port and Navy area, 18.16 mld to Maradu municipality, 6.67 mld to Kumbalam panchayat, 15.67 mld to Kumbalanghi and 9.28 mld to Chellanam panchayat.

As the total quantity envisaged for each area would not be required to meet the needs the extra water produced would be passed on Thammanam sump.

Hence Thammanam would get 14 mld water to augment the supply while 8 mld would go to Thevara.

Costing Rs. 252.8 crore, up from Rs. 201.5 crore from the initial outlay, the project is expected to provide 150 litres of water per person per day in the region.

P. J. Joseph, Minister for Water Resources, who inaugurated the function held on the occasion, said that yet another project of 185 mld capacity plant at Kalamassery has been provided administrative sanction. The work is expected to begin soon, he added.

Manjanamkuzhi Ali, Minister for Minority and Urban Affairs, presided over the function and inaugurated the project work by turning on the tap.

V. J. Kurien, secretary, Water Resources Department, said that steps are being taken to meet the needs of building a check dam and water regulator at Ramamangalam and Velloor that would provide water at the Kerala Water Authority’s intake well at the river for the Choondi treatment plant.

Lack of water in the river had led to acute water shortage in Tripunithura.

K. V. Thomas, MP, K. Babu, Minister for Fisheries and Port, MLAs Benny Behnan and Hibi Eden, Mayor Soumini Jain, managing director, KWA, Ajit Patil, R. Girija, managing director, Vyttila Mobility Hub, Ajitha Nandakumar, Maradu Municipal chairperson and others participated in the function.

From: The Hindu