T’puram: A defunct water supply project at Thoduve in Varkala has turned into an overgrown, unused asset even as parts of the municipality continue to face drinking water shortages. The nearly one-acre premises, once housing water tanks, a pump house and staff quarters, is now covered with vegetation, while hundreds of abandoned pipes remain scattered across the site. Locals say the facility could be revived for emergency water supply, tanker distribution and firefighting instead of allowing the infrastructure to deteriorate further.Kerala Water Authority (KWA), which owns the property, said it would examine the possibility of removing the old pipes from the site and clearing the overgrown vegetation.The Thoduve water supply project was established in the late 1960s as part of the public water supply system for the Varkala panchayat area. In its initial years, water was supplied through public fountains located at important points along roads.The project’s water source was a small stream passing through property belonging to Sivagiri Mutt. Water from the stream was collected and stored in two large ground-level tanks at Thoduve. It was then subjected to sedimentation, filtration and chlorination before being pumped into the distribution network.The scheme was later expanded and household water connections were provided. At the time, Varkala had fewer houses and most households had wells, limiting the dependence on the public water supply system.Varkala became a municipality in 1980, and the number of houses increased steadily. The Thoduve facility continued to meet demand until around 1990, after which the available water became insufficient. The Vamanapuram water supply project was subsequently taken up and became operational in the 1990s. The Thoduve scheme was discontinued around 1997.With the closure of the project, hundreds of cast-iron and cement pipes purchased for the distribution network were left unused. The pump house and staff quarters also fell into disuse.Residents say the situation is particularly concerning as Varkala continues to experience drinking water-related issues. They believe the site could be put to productive use if the existing infrastructure is assessed and the facility is revived or repurposed.The residents have suggested that water from the facility could be used during shortages, while the premises could also support tanker water distribution and provide a source for the fire and rescue services in emergencies.KWA officials said the department would examine the condition of the abandoned materials and the property before deciding on further action.
