T’puram: Kerala Water Authority (KWA) is drawing up contingency measures to manage a potential water shortage in Thiruvananthapuram, even as officials acknowledge that large-scale alternatives remain limited if storage at Peppara Dam falls further. Shifting to an alternate-day supply schedule is among the key options under discussion. However, officials said this step will be taken only in an extreme situation and after consultations with the district administration and local body representatives. The move, if implemented, would mark a significant shift from the current supply pattern and directly affect lakhs of residents across the capital and its suburbs. Demand regulation through reduced pumping and stricter consumption monitoring is also being planned. KWA has warned consumers against using piped water for non-domestic purposes such as vehicle washing, irrigation and commercial activity, and said disconnection of supply will follow any violations. Special squads are being deployed to check misuse. Officials confirmed that the emerging crisis has already been flagged to the district administration. A meeting with the district collector has been held to assess the situation, and the collector has assured that necessary steps will be taken to mitigate the impact. Another high-level meeting involving KWA, the district administration and local body representatives is expected soon to finalise further measures, including possible supply regulation and emergency arrangements. The main concern is the absence of viable fallback options should Peppara storage levels continue to drop. With catchment inflows nearly stalled and summer demand remaining high, the system has little room to absorb further stress. The coming weeks, officials said, will be critical.
