The quality of water in most waterbodies in the State is an issue of concern, according to a study by Nirmala Padmanabhan, head of the Department of Economics, St. Teresa’s College. Her project, Role of Grama Panchayats in Waste Management and Environmental Protection, a World Bank-funded project of the Local Self-Government Department and the Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation, had also made a sample study of water resources in four grama panchayats.
The analysis of samples collected from water resources in Kanjiramkulam in Thiruvananthapuram, Ezhikkara in Ernakulam, Marutharode in Palakkad and Nenmeni in Wayanad had shown bacteria contamination as the major problem. Of the 65 water samples, 44.61% of them were found to be contaminated with e.coli, indicating faecal contamination.
“The study indicates that surface and groundwater sources, even in rural areas, are getting contaminated, posing a threat to the water security of future generations,” said Dr. Nirmala.
World Water Day on March 22 again brings into focus awareness on the limited sources of freshwater, this year with the theme of Nature of Water.
The study also found that almost all households in the panchayats did not have proper drainage system for disposal of liquid waste from kitchen and bathrooms.
There were also problems of toilets situated near water sources.
Water audit
“It is important to conduct a water audit to know about the use and misuse of water. Water audit will help understand the exact difference between supply and demand at local level,” said Dr. Sunny George, Director of the city-based SCMS Water Institute, who had conducted a water audit for the Kochi Corporation.
The management of water resources was important to quantify them properly, he said. And this could be done at the local self-government level.
Besides quantifying it, an audit could also help identify opportunities for reusing and recycling water, said Dr. George.
There was no such data available at local level which was actually a major hindrance in preparing any developmental project. Many departments in the government handled water, but there was little coordination among any of them, he said.
In his audit, he had found that 52% of the city's drinking water need is met by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) through connections, about 21.8% of water is being used through public taps, 14% through borewells, 9% through wells and about 1.1% by tanker lorries.
