WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT OF MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY IN THREE CITIES: THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KOCHI AND KOZHIKODE

Funding Agency: World Wide Fund for Nature - India, New Delhi

Water that is of potable quality when it enters the distribution system may undergo deterioration before it reaches the consumers. Water in the distribution system may become contaminated through cross connections, leaking service connections, defective storage tanks and service reservoirs and damaged hydrants. Such contamination may be at least as dangerous as the distribution of insufficiently treated water. So a careful and regular monitoring of water quality in different parts of the distribution system is necessary to ensure the quality of water supplied through the system. The important objectives of the study were to study the status of the water supply system; water purification process and distribution system of drinking water in the three cities of Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode; to assess the quality of water distributed in different areas through water distribution system and to prepare an action programme for enhancing the quality of water in areas where pollution of water takes place; to study the problems, constraints etc. of water supply programs and planning for future activities.

The quality of drinking water at various points in the distribution system was found by monitoring the quality of water, both in summer and monsoon seasons. Physico-chemical parameters like pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, hardness, chloride, iron and ammonia and bacteriological parameters like total count of bacteria and E-coli were tested. A futuristic planning is essential in the design and construction of water treatment plant, which should be established near the source. Improper monitoring, leakage and damages in the distribution system, ineffective treatment processes etc. are important causes for variation in the quality of water. Quality of water can be improved by regular monitoring at supply points, timely repair to avoid leakage, adoption of better technology, maintaining required pressure in the pipes and effecting scientific pricing for drinking water.