Kerala Water Authority fails to provide water for new flats

KOCHI: A robust real estate sector in city may ensure that you get an apartment of your desire, but when it comes to drinking water supply in your flat, things are not that easy.
Occupants of newly-built flats in Kalamassery, Thrikkakara, and Kakkanad are reeling under water shortage forcing them to buy water sold through tanker lorries. Residents say this has pushed up the maintenance cost of their flats.
The builders of these apartments blame it on the apathy of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA).
The KWA officials of Kalamassery sub-division, in charge of these areas, said that more than 20 applications for water connections from the apartments have been pending with them for over six months.
The reason, they say, is shortage of six-inch pipes through which water is supplied to flats.
A KWA assistant engineer, who chose to remain unnamed, even cited the Kerala Water Supply and Sewerage (Amendment) Act, 2008, to point out that only six-inch pipes can be used for the purpose. He said that even if there are enough pipes, it is difficult to get PWD nod to dig roads and lay the pipes.
Currently, flat dwellers have to either spend Rs 750-Rs 1,500 to buy water through tanker lorries or use saline water usually drawn from groundwater sources.
“We need at least five tanker of water daily, for which we have to pay Rs350-Rs 450 extra as maintenance charge every month. Also it is difficult to check quality of water supplied by the tankers,” said a resident of Mather Silver Lines, Kakkanad.
Builders say a weak monsoon has made rainwater harvesting facilities set up in these apartments futile. “Most buildings have the facilities, but we have to depend on KWA for drinking water,” said M V Antony, president of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India (Credai), Kochi Chapter.
He said the government should be ready to give one connection for every 25 apartments in each complex.