Desalination plants back in billing in Kerala, Govt. sets up an expert commission to examine the feasibility

Coastal villages of Kerala are among the vulnerable regions in terms of uninterrupted water supply.

The UDF government is actively considering a proposal to set up desalination plants along the coast of Kerala in an attempt to solve the drinking water shortage.

The water resources department has constituted a 13-member expert committee to “study the technical and financial feasibility of setting up desalination plants in the coastal areas of Kerala and make appropriate recommendations to the government”.

Although proposals for the establishment of desalination plants have been considered for several years, no project has yet been awarded. The Expert Committee is chaired by the Technical Member, Kerala Water Authority (KWA) and convened by the Chief Engineer (Sewage, Project Planning and Development and WASCON), KWA.

The formation of the panel follows a meeting chaired by Water Resources Minister Mons Joseph in July this year.

During the tenure of the LDF government, then Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine also underlined the importance of setting up a seawater desalination plant to address coastal water scarcity.

Proposed site Pallipuram

In 2021, KWA began discussions with the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) under the Department of Earth Sciences to identify desalination systems suitable for the state’s coastal environment. After preliminary discussion, KWA, fisheries department and NIOT have also appointed nodal officers to check their viability.

During the LDF government, there was a proposal to set up a 10 billion (million liters per day) seawater desalination plant in Pallipuram panchayat in Vypeen. In February 2026, Mr. Augustine informed the State Assembly that a detailed engineering report had been prepared and that the cost of the project was estimated at ₹215 million.

Kerala’s coastal villages, which are at the tail end of water supply projects, are among the vulnerable regions in terms of uninterrupted water supply.

Published – 10 Oct 2026 19:38 IST