Kerala - Kochi   

Salinity may affect water supply

Staff Reporter

Threat of saline water intrusion into the Periyar

KOCHI : The threat of saline water intrusion into Periyar looms large over the city's water supply system. With the water level in the rivers receding, the problem of salinity may affect water supply in the district.

Factories along the Periyar were also hit, as operations had to be suspended due to the increase in salinity level.

According to official estimates, salinity level crossed 250 ppm (parts per million) on a few occasions. Drinking water supply from the Aluva pumping house was affected due to the crisis.

Supply to agricultural areas was also affected due to saline water incursion. Salinity levels had reached a maximum, 400 ppm, last year.

The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) officials said the discharge rate of water from Bhoothathankettu decreased over the years. The storage capacity at Bhoothathankettu also came down considerably. A major portion of water from Bhoothathankettu was generally used for agricultural purposes in the Kochi division. The discharge rate, during the last several months, had come down to around seven cubic metres per second.

Officials said an immediate solution to the problem would be to let out more water from the Edamalayar dam from where the tailrace water would flow to Bhoothathanketu dam and was let out to the Periyar River.

Once the flow from upstream comes in, the backflow will be restricted. This will decrease the salinity levels. The delay in constructing bunds at Purappallikavu, Manjoomal and Pathalam has added to the existing problems.

The construction of bunds was also plagued by several problems. Last time, the construction of bunds was delayed due to paucity of sand. Environmentalists said that indiscriminate sand-mining in Periyar continued to be the main cause for the non-availability of sand.

They said that saline water incursion would turn irreversible in the coming days unless rectified immediately. The saline water would not recede if the discharge level failed to increase.

The long-term solution would be to expedite bund construction at Manjumel, Pathalam and Purappalikavu, they said.

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