Kerala - Kochi   

Need for chemical testing unit for KWA

Staff Reporter

Kochi: Even as the controversy surrounding the discolouration of the Periyar rages with the State Pollution Control Board and environmental activists locking horns over the issue, the Kerala Water Authority (KWA), the biggest stakeholder of the river, continues to lack any system for monitoring chemical pollution.

The KWA pumps 260 mld (million litres per day) water from its plants along the river. This is higher than any other industrial units or factories that use the water from the river for their individual purposes. Apart from the main pumping station at Aluva, the KWA takes water through other spots as well, which includes Muppathadam downstream in the river.

Though the KWA authorities have vehemently denied any chances of the water being pumped from Muppathadam getting contaminated when the discolouration occurred, the fact remains that no system exists in any of the pumping stations or filtering plants of the KWA for checking chemical pollution. The only checking that takes place in the pumping stations is to check the pH level of the water, as well as the turbidity of the water. Usually, it is the operators, who are given a preliminary training, who conduct the pH testing, sources said. However, it is alleged that most of the times, even this testing is not done properly.

The KWA had dropped the augmentation of the Muppathadam plant years ago when mercury contamination was detected in the water in that area. The contamination, which was alleged to have caused from the Travancore Cochin Chemicals, checked later after the unit dropped the use of mercury. However, it is feared that the earlier sedimentation of mercury might remain even after years.

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