T’puram: Several major residential pockets in the city are facing acute drinking water crisis, with residents alleging that repeated pipeline bursts, faulty valve operations, ageing infrastructure and delayed repairs by Kerala Water Authority (KWA) disrupted water supply for months.Nalanchira, one of city’s prominent residential areas, is among the worst affected. Residents said more than 300 families were grappling with severe water shortages for months, forcing many households to depend on private water tankers and nearby wells to meet their daily needs.Piped water supply became highly irregular, with some households receiving water only once in several days. Despite repeated complaints to KWA officials and elected representatives, no permanent solution was implemented, residents alleged.“The situation has become unbearable. We are spending a substantial amount every month on tanker water. There are days when not a single drop reaches our homes through pipelines,” S Sajeev, a resident of Nalanchira said.According to residents, frequent pipeline bursts and valve regulation issues have become a routine affair in the locality. They alleged that only major pipeline failures receive immediate attention, while smaller leaks are often ignored for weeks, resulting in large quantities of treated water being wasted.Locals pointed out that a pipeline leak that had reportedly been wasting water for nearly three months was repaired only recently. Delays in identifying the exact location of bursts and carrying out repair works are further aggravating the crisis, they said.The shortage in Nalanchira comes even as KWA reported disruptions in water production at its Aruvikkara treatment facilities. According to the authority, operations at 72 MLD and 75 MLD water treatment plants were suspended for nearly two-and-a-half hours early on Friday following a power cable fault.Although operations have resumed, the temporary shutdown resulted in a drop in reservoir levels, leading to partial disruption in water supply in various parts of the city, including Palayam region, a KWA source said.Responding to the complaints, a KWA official said a major water leakage in Nalanchira was identified and rectified. “The supply disruption was mainly due to this issue and water supply will be normalised soon,” the official said.The official added that consumers may experience temporary disruptions following major repair works as it takes time for reservoirs and distribution lines to regain normal pressure. “We are monitoring the situation and necessary steps are being taken to ensure regular supply,” the official said.
