Water shortage woes continue to plague Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital

According to the resident medical officer (RMO), the issue has been plaguing the hospital for the past 25 years with authorities being forced to engage water tankers on days of low water supply.
Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital (File photo| EPS)
Thiruvananthapuram General Hospital (File photo| EPS)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Water crisis is nothing new to the district. But what if the unavailability of water creates hindrance in the functioning of a hospital? In the last week, water supply failure at the General Hospital affected the patients at wards three and four. The bedridden people who can’t walk on their own were highly affected by the shortage. 

According to the resident medical officer (RMO), the issue has been plaguing the hospital for the past 25 years with authorities being forced to engage water tankers on days of low water supply. However, the facility also proves inadequate for the needs of patients and their bystanders. As per sources at Kerala Water Authority (KWA), the daily water requirement at General Hospital amounts to two lakh litres. 

"The hospital is located in a low-lying area due to which it is prone to water being cut-off whenever there is a leak in the pipeline that originates from Aruvikkara. It takes around six-seven hours to refill and even after filling the flow of water will be minimal," said an executive engineer of KWA. "As an emergency measure, KWA supplies 10 to 12 water tankers containing 10,000 litres each to affected areas. But more often than not, we just don’t have a sufficient quantity of water," he added. 

The KWA already informed the officials of the hospital to enhance the current water storage capacity of the hospital which is between 75 thousand to 1 lakh litres. “The water storing facility must be enhanced at the earliest to two lakh litres as it can be utilised in the time of emergency,” said the official. 

However, the KWA officials expect to solve the water woes faced by the district after the implementation of the water plant of 74 MLD at Aruvikkara. The commissioning of the plant is expected to be over by March 2020. 

Meanwhile, RMO Joy SS said: “Every time we try to manage with water from the KWA truck tank and private parties.” The hospital has already submitted a request letter to KWA to provide an additional water supply line to the hospital. 

Water plant, a solution

The current water storage capacity of the hospital which is between 75 thousand to 1 lakh litres is insufficient. It must be enhanced at the earliest to two lakh litres as it can be utilised in the time of emergency. However, KWA officials expect to solve the water woes faced by the district after the implementation of the water plant of 74 MLD at Aruvikkara. The commissioning of the plant is expected to be over by March 2020.

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