Thiruvananthapuram grapples with recurring pipe bursts

Old pipelines in the city are proving to be a nightmare for the residents who are already dealing with water shortage.
Workers repairing the pipeline which burst at Ambalamukku on Tuesday morning| B P Deepu
Workers repairing the pipeline which burst at Ambalamukku on Tuesday morning| B P Deepu

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The latest water pipe burst at Ambalamukku Junction on Tuesday has put the focus back on old pipes in the city. While the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) continues to grapple with regular pipe bursts, city residents, already dealing with water shortage, are left in the lurch with halted supply.

The 700mm diameter Premo pipe cracked at 6am. After the burst, a portion of the road caved in. The residents of the area noticed the burst and informed the KWA officials immediately. “We started the repair work around 6.15am. Water supply was affected from Ambalamukku to Peroorkada region and many households faced water shortage. It could be termed as a major leak as it was one of the main lines,” said RV Santhosh Kumar, executive engineer, PH division (Thiruvananthapuram North).

The areas affected by the pipe burst included Peroorkada, Ulloor, Kesavadasapuram, Kowdiar, Medical College and Marapalam.The officials said that while the Medical College locality was only partially hit, Peroorkada area was the worst affected.

However, these leaks point to the immediate need for replacement of the old pipelines as well as the urgent demand for procuring equipment that would alert the authorities by detecting an impending puncture. KWA officials also noted that the pipe that burst was laid almost 40 years ago with most of it being worn out.

Despite starting the repair work promptly, the KWA officials were unable to spot the source of the leak initially which was two metres deep. The presence of a culvert on both sides of the pipe further added to the difficulty in undertaking repair.

As an emergency measure, water tankers were sent to the affected areas. The authorities also spotted minor leaks along the pipeline in Ambalamukku which they attributed to high water pressure. The pipe burst had also damaged the road creating a 1.2-metre crater. The Ambalamukku area is part of KWA’s proposed project to replace the old cement pipes with steel ones.

Reacting to the incident, V K Prasanth MLA scheduled a meeting on Wednesday. “We had earlier held a meeting regarding the drinking water shortage at Kowdiar and Mukkola. Although the corporation has given enough funds to replace or repair old pipes, nothing has been done so far. The upcoming meeting will focus on finding out solutions for water shortage and the recurring pipe bursts in the city,” said the legislator.

IN A NUTSHELL

  • The pipe burst created a 1.2 metre crater in the middle of the road.
  • Project wing of KWA said that all the major pipes in the city would be replaced.
  • MLA V K Prasanth will be holding a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the issue of recurring pipe bursts
  • in the city.

Water supply hit

A 700mm diameter Premo pipe cracked at 6am at Ambalamukku Junction on Tuesday. Water supply was affected in Peroorkada, Ulloor, Kesavadasapuram, Kowdiar, Medical College and Marapalam areas. KWA officials were unable to spot the source of the leak initially

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