Sewerage connections may come under the scanner in Thiruvananthapuram

Sewerage connections are likely to come under the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) scanner soon with more and more consumers failing to install sewerage treatment plants (STP) after the connections are given.

A collective of multi-level officials, including engineers, of the KWA have submitted a set of recommendations to the higher-ups on the issue, requesting a review of all such connections and for rules to be made stringent.

Register needed

According to the officials, there is no record of the sewerage connections allotted so far and there is an urgent need for such a register. Further, they felt that permissions for connections for buildings with an expanse of 2,000 square metres or above, or complexes with facilities for 10 and above families, should be given by an executive engineer only.

The collective has called for the preparation of a list of connections which still has not installed STPs. Many have not installed treatment plants even years after they were given connections.

Stipulations

According to the recommendations from the engineers, notices should be served against those who had taken connections and failed to install STPs for 40,000 square feet and above during the period from October 18, 2007 to April 23, 2010 and for 2,000 sq.m. and above from April 23, 2010 onwards. The practice of allowing sewerage connections under the condition that the STP would be installed later had to be discontinued as well, the collective said.

While houses should be given the connection only after they were given house numbers, and door numbers in case of complexes, temporary connections should not be given to construction sites, the officials said, pointing out that construction debris and waste were being dumped in sewerage mains.

The officials’ collective has also said that all manholes should be recorded with proper numbers. The KWA top brass is expected to discuss and decide on the recommendations shortly.