With the onset of the monsoon, the partially collapsed water tank at Thammanam poses safety concerns. The collapse of Chamber 1 of the twin-chamber tank at Thammanam on November 10 last year had disrupted water supply in several parts of Kochi.

Concerns are being raised over the possibility of further structural deterioration of the tank, as no strengthening work has been carried out on the damaged chamber, sources in the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) said.

Seven months after the partial collapse of the 1.35-crore-litre water tank at Thammanam, no progress has been made on either of the two proposals put forward by the KWA to address the structural damage sustained by the tank, or on the construction of a new one.

“Leaving the collapsed tank as it is is dangerous. It requires close supervision and careful intervention. The collapsed and damaged portions need to be removed, and the soil needs to be stabilised. This is necessary to ensure structural integrity and turn the structure into a single integral monolithic unit,” a KWA source said.

According to the source, carrying out the strengthening measures would enable the tank to be used to reinforce the city’s distribution network.

One of the proposals was to construct a new 35-lakh-litre tank on land owned by the KWA at Thammanam. The other envisaged redesigning Chamber 1 and continuing to use it after carrying out the necessary structural modifications, considering that the second chamber remains operational. Although a redesign proposal was submitted, the expert committee that studied the tank decided against restoring the collapsed portion and instead recommended the construction of a new tank. However, the proposed ground-level tank is still awaiting administrative sanction.

“Overlooking the matter could lead to further deterioration in the future, which could damage the rest of the structure, including the presently functional Chamber 2 of the reservoir,” the source said. Even if the chamber is not used as a reservoir, the structure needs to be strengthened and the damaged portions removed to ensure structural stability. “The same compound also houses another tank, which is old. We need to strengthen these tanks to avoid further deterioration and damage,” the source said.

The source added that five or six old tanks that are still operational in the city could experience structural distress in the near future and need strengthening. “We need to focus on climate resilience. Salty winds and soil salinity resulting from the State’s proximity to the sea erode these structures, causing structural damage. This needs to be addressed to prevent any catastrophes,” the source added.