Water supply infrastructure capable of generating 1,000 mld (million litres a day) is lying idle in the State as distribution networks are non-existent.
The Water Resources Department has decided to lay pipelines at the earliest and commission the projects, Water Resources Minister K. Krishnankutty told reporters here on Wednesday.
“We have invested ₹7,000 crore in these facilities, but it is nothing but dead money. We are trying to build the supply networks by including the work in the Rebuild Kerala initiative,” Mr. Krishnankutty, who toured the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) facilities at Aruvikkara, said.
Funding issues
While the government would need to pump in a huge amount to complete these projects, not doing so would result in the loss of the money already invested, he said.
With road-related issues delaying the laying of water pipelines in many instances, the government had decided to form a State-level apex committee comprising the Water Resources, Public Works and Local Self-Government Secretaries to fast-track the work, Vishwas Mehta, Additional Chief Secretary (Water Resources), said. The Japan International Cooperation Agency-assisted water supply works would be speeded up, the Minister said. Of the five schemes under JICA, the Thiruvananthapuram scheme had been completed.
The Meenad and Kozhikode schemes would be completed over the next two seasons, KWA officials said.
Drought preparedness
While a drought alarm had not been raised this year, the Water Resources Department was taking adequate precautions since the northeast monsoon had been weak, the Minister said.
“We are taking precautions based on the State’s experiences and water demand during the March 2017 drought. It will take into account the locations where agriculture was affected then,” he said. Tanker water supply would be provided wherever required, Mr. Mehta said.
Solar power
The financially ailing KWA was not planning a water tariff revision at the moment. The water utility was turning to solar power to slash its power bill commitments, the Minister said.
