The Kerala State Pollution Control Board (PCB) has found presence of higher values of iron, manganese and coliform bacteria in the drinking water supplied in the city and suburban areas.
The board, which conducted a study on the quality of water supplied by the Kerala Water Authority as per the directions of the Kerala State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), has found higher values of iron and manganese in raw as well as treated water in most places.
The PCB in its report submitted to SHRC on Wednesday said the bacteriological analysis indicated that the values of coliform bacteria are well within limits in most places, except in raw water samples collected from Aruvikkara, PTP Nagar, and Thrikkannapuram. “After chlorination, presence of residual chlorine level is found in the tap water and coliform bacteria were not detected in the tap water, which indicates towards efficiency of disinfection,” the report said.
The report also highlights the need for putting up scientific water treatment methods in suburban areas. It points out that absence of treatment plants in suburban areas, particularly in Nemom, will have an impact on quality of water supplied to people residing in those places. Since the turbidity, which is described as the muddiness in water and a measure of how poorly water has been filtered, level is very high in the Karamana river, it will be extremely difficulty to maintain Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) within the prescribed limit.
There is a need for augmenting the treatment facility at Aruvikkara and putting in place scientific treatment facilities at Kundaman Kadavu and Thrikkannapuram. “The KWA may be directed to look into the matter and may be directed to take immediate action in this regard,” the report said.
The PCB, as per directions of the SHRC, collected water samples from Aruvikkara, PTP Nagar, Mannarakonam, Thirumala, Edapazhanji, Thrikkannapuram, Manacaud, East Fort, Pravachambalam, Nemom, Overbridge and Statue. Tests were conducted at the District Laboratory of PCB and at its Central Laboratory at Ernakulam
