High salinity: Pumping disrupted again

As the inflow of sea water into the Periyar continued, drinking water pumping from Aluva was again suspended for more than three hours on Friday afternoon. Water supply was disrupted earlier from 3.30 to 6.30 am on Thursday.

As the salinity level rose to 500 PPM by Friday afternoon, pumping was suspended for more than three hours from 2.30 pm. The pumping on Friday was almost 65 MLD less than the usual quantity of daily pumping. Following the disruption in pumping many parts of Kochi city experienced water shortage on Friday.

Pumping supervisor at Aluva said that the crisis is attributed to natural causes such as the high tide caused by the full moon. If it continues for a couple of days, water supply will be further affected. For a temporary relief, water from Bhoothathankettu dam was released in the afternoon, raising the shutter to six inches, and the flow of water to the river is estimated at 30 MQM per second. The release of water from the dam has reduced the salinity in the river. It was only after that the pumping was resumed on Friday afternoon.

A KWA official said that salinity in the river can be controlled to a certain extent if the work of the dike at Parapullikavu is completed. The work is progressing and would be ready by December 7, he said.

The executive engineer of the Bhoothathankettu dam said that present release of water at the rate of 30 MLD per second will affect the water supply to the Periyar Valley Canal.

The canal water is used for irrigation and agricultural purposes, and the present shortage 20 MLD (daily pumping rate is 50 MLD) will definitely affect the irrigation.

The only solution is to release more water from Edamalayar dam in such a manner that it doesn’t affect power generation, he said.