Water resources minister P.J. Joseph has ordered a probe into DC expose that KWA water supplied in Kochi was contaminated with coliform bacteria of non-fecal origin.
The minister said that water samples from different parts of Kochi would be collected for examination by KWA officials in the coming days for a thorough test.
DC on Wednesday had published a report on the quality of pipe water supplied by KWA in the city. The sample tested at the regional analytical laboratory had found that the water quality was “not satisfactory” due to the presence of coliform bacteria.
KWA officials said the contamination could be due to old and outdated pipelines in some parts of the city. The water at its four main plants and various pump houses were treated with chlorine and hence had no chance of being contaminated.
by bacteria at that point.
“But at the end line of a user, chlorine count can go down especially if water from surrounding area gets into the pipe due to damage in the pipeline.
Insufficient chlorine at that point may lead to colonization of bacteria,” said chief engineer Jolly Thomas of KWA quality cell.
She also pointed out that the widespread practice, especially in Mattancherry and Fort Kochi area, of using sucking pumps to step up water pressure, had also been found to be resulting in contamination of water from surrounding areas. “This happens due to faulty joining of pumps with the pipe line.