Five-member expert team inspects proposed sewage treatment plant sites

The comprehensive sewage treatment project proposed under the Integrated Urban Renewal and Water Transport System (IURWTS) in Kochi is expected to get a fill-up following a recent visit by a team of experts appointed by the Central government. The team visited the sites of the proposed sewage treatment plants (STPs) and underground sewage pipeline network a few days ago.

A source from the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) said the team observed that all the canals in the city were highly polluted with blackish water and a disgusting odor.

“Living conditions are extremely challenging due to the current level of pollution. We urgently need to renovate and clean the canals. We cannot clean the canals unless we provide underground sewage pipeline to manage the sewage produced by homes and commercial establishments,” the official said.

The five-member team also visited some polluted drains in the city and areas that lack proper sewage management systems. “For example, some houses in Panampilly Nagar do not have proper sewage management system. Even though most houses have septic tanks, the overflow and discharge from these tanks find their way into the canals. Also, tidal changes often cause backflow from the canals into the houses, which creates a serious concern. Once the project is implemented, the canals can also be cleaned and made navigable,” the official said.

Earlier, KWA had submitted its detailed project report (DPR) to the Central government seeking funds.

Since this is a jointly funded project, the Center will provide some of the funding while the remaining amount will have to be borne by the State government through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).

Even though KIIFB is in the process of restructuring, this is not expected to affect the project as it is on the high priority list. “This is a high priority as it is a cleanup project that requires immediate attention,” the official said. The project, managed by Kochi Metro Rail Limited, aims to build multiple sewage treatment plants to prevent canal pollution and has been awaiting financial sanction from the State government for some time. It was given administrative sanction in May last year but had to be resubmitted after its estimated cost was revised from ₹1,386 crore to ₹1,700 crore.

The sewerage plan will cover Kochi Corporation as well as neighboring local bodies including Kalamassery, Thripunithura and Thrikkakara municipalities. One of the two STPs will be installed on KWA’s 13 acres of land in Elamkulam and will have a capacity of 55 million liters per day (MLD). The other one will be established in Muttar and will have an installed capacity of 50 MLD.