The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has stepped up efforts to resolve water supply disruption from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) drinking water project, which carries water from the Peruvannamuzhi reservoir to various parts of Kozhikode district, including the city.

​The recent downpours had forced the KWA subdivision to reduce water supply to beneficiaries for nearly a week. The continuous intake of highly turbid water has led to heavy siltation in the filter beds of the treatment plant, causing widespread water shortages in dependent areas. “The issue will be resolved in a week, “ an official told The Hindu.

Residents of the Kozhikode Corporation, two municipalities, 17 panchayats, medical college, and various other government institutions that depend on the JICA project for their daily needs are now receiving water through alternative means.

​The scheme usually supplies 200 million litres of water per day (MLD), which is above its designed capacity of 174 MLD. The Jal Jeevan Mission and Amrut Mission resulted in a 60% increase in extra connections. This overload and additional supply requirements were sustained by running backup plants alongside the main ones, the official said.

The authorities at the Peruvannamuzhi headworks and pumping station had planned to carry out maintenance work at the plants during the rainy season. However, irregular rainfall and a sudden rise in turbidity levels disrupted the schedule, resulting in the current shortage.

​An official said that elevated areas of the district were suffering the most due to the disruption. At present, the KWA is managing the issue by supplying water on alternate days to nine panchayats, including Balussery, Nanmanda, Narikkuni, Kakkodi, Kuruvattur, Kunnamangalam, Peruvayal, Perumanna, and Kakkur. These panchayats have access to wells, allowing them to cope better than urban areas. Besides, the method employed to supply water to rural areas, including Feroke municipality, ensures that they receive an uninterrupted water supply.

​The KWA could have supplied water normally, but chemicals such as alum, a naturally occurring mineral compound (potassium aluminium sulfate) used for water purification, and others were added to clear turbidity. “However, we fear the remedy may cause filter shock and water quality problems,” the official said.

​He added that cleaning operations were under way and would be completed within a week, after which the situation would be under control. The issue can be permanently resolved within five to six months as the construction of new plants is in progress.