KOCHI: Over three million litres of river water that can be converted into drinking water is wasted every day even as the city's thirst goes unquenched. The civic administrators are sitting on a study commissioned by the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) five years ago, which quantified the loss of fresh water that is flowing into Arabian Sea.

According to a study commissioned by the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) and conducted by the Quality Assurance and Management Division of the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), at least 3,105 million litres of fresh water is flowing into the Arabian Sea every day through the four branches of Periyar — Kanakkankadavu, Purapallykavu, Manjummal and Pathalam.

About 1,782 MLD (million litres a day) of water flows out through Pathalam, 1,000 MLD through Manjummel river, 200 MLD through Purapallykavu and 123 MLD through Kanakkankadavu.

Interestingly, the average potable water requirement of Kochi city is 480 MLD and the city has never received sufficient quantity of water. The city used to receive 104 MLD some time ago and this was slashed to 98 MLD during the peak summer season this year. It may be recalled that a feud had broken out between Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Minister for Water Resources, and civic administrators over the inadequate supply of drinking water to the city.

The study has assumed significance in the wake of the increasing drinking water requirement of Kochi. The water requirement of the city is likely to shoot up manifold with the implementation of several mega infrastructural projects such as the Vallarpadam Container Terminal.

The CIFT quantified the water flow for the GCDA's perspective plan. The development agency wanted CIFT to study the water sources for drawing drinking water to be supplied in the areas coming under it. Water samples were collected from various locations in the rivers during June, August, October and December 1999 and March and April 2000.

The samples were analysed for 24 parameters, including colour, odour, turbidity, pH, total hardness, microbiological qualities and presence of heavy metals. Tests were conducted as per the IS 10500 standards set for using water sources for drinking purposes. The water in these tributaries can be used for drinking water purposes by employing standard water purification methods such as alum dozing, sedimentation, filtering and chlorination, said M.K. Mukundan, Head of the Quality Assurance and Management division of CIFT. The Engineering and Fishing Technology division of the Institute were also involved in the study.

Method

The water discharge of the rivers was estimated from the cross sectional area and water flow velocity. Cross sectional area was estimated by depth sampling at select points along the breadth of the river. Average flow velocity was determined by velocity sampling at different depths, at the depth sampling points. The water current meter developed by CIFT was employed for the study.

The actual quantity of water wasted would be much more during the months in which the State receives excess rain. The water from the rivers should be diverted into some reservoirs, which would solve the drinking water shortage of the city. Such a programme will also ensure adequate supply of fresh water throughout the year and prevent saline water incursion into the water pumping systems, he said.

Kochi should take a cue from the water storage systems employed by cities such as Hyderabad and Secunderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai where river water is stored in reservoirs, said Mr. Mukundan.

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