The comprehensive sewage treatment project proposed under the Integrated Urban Regeneration and Water Transport System (IURWTS) in Kochi is expected to receive a fillip following a recent visit by a team of experts appointed by the Central government. The team visited the sites of the proposed sewage treatment plants (STPs) and the underground sewerage pipeline network a few days ago.
The team is learnt to have observed that all the city’s canals were highly polluted, with blackish water and an obnoxious odour, a Kerala Water Authority (KWA) source said.
“The living conditions are highly challenging because of the current level of pollution. We urgently need to renovate and clean the canals. Unless we provide an underground sewerage pipeline to manage the sewage generated by households and commercial establishments, we cannot clean the canals,” the official said.
The five-member team also visited some of the polluted canals and localities in the city that lacked proper sewage management systems. “For instance, some households in Panampilly Nagar lack proper sewage management systems. While most households have septic tanks, the overflow and discharge from these tanks find their way into the canals. Further, tidal variations often cause backflow from the canals into houses, posing a serious concern. Once the project is implemented, the canals can also be cleaned and made navigable,” the official said.
Earlier, the KWA had submitted the detailed project report (DPR) to the Central government seeking funds.
As this is a jointly funded project, the Centre will provide a portion of the funding, while the remaining amount will have to be borne by the State government through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).
Although KIIFB is undergoing restructuring, this is not expected to affect the project, as it remains on the high-priority list. “Since it is a sanitation project requiring immediate attention, it has been accorded high priority,” the official said. The project, managed by Kochi Metro Rail Limited, aims to build multiple sewage treatment plants to prevent canal pollution and has been awaiting financial sanction from the State government for some time. It was accorded administrative sanction in May last year but had to be resubmitted after its estimated cost was revised from ₹1,386 crore to ₹1,700 crore.
Apart from Kochi Corporation, the sewage scheme will also cover neighbouring local bodies, including the Kalamassery, Thripunithura and Thrikkakara municipalities. Of the two STPs, one will be established on the KWA’s 13-acre plot at Elamkulam and will have a capacity of 55 million litres per day (MLD). The other will be set up at Muttar and will have an installed capacity of 50 MLD.
Published – July 26, 2026 05:22 pm IST
