Kozhikode drinking water projects will be reviewed before summer

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A meeting of elected representatives and heads of local bodies at the district level will soon be convened in Kozhikode to review drinking water supply systems and explore revival of defunct minor irrigation projects before the coming summer.

The initiative follows the guidelines of the state government to address the growing public complaints of drinking water shortage in various assembly constituencies. Water Resources staff will coordinate a meeting to review the status of ongoing plans, work in progress and local requirements. A time-bound action plan is expected to be developed to address these concerns.

According to officials, constituency-level meetings will also be convened by the respective MLAs, with local body leaders invited to present their demands and identify projects requiring urgent intervention. Engineers of the Kerala Water Authority will be asked to assess the feasibility of completing the plans under discussion, particularly in areas with recurrent water shortages.

Defunct schemes

The proposed exercise comes amid complaints by several grama panchayats about insufficient efforts to revive defunct local drinking water systems and increasing reliance on tanker-based distribution. Environmentalists and leaders of farmers’ organizations point out that at least two small projects with potential for revival remain neglected in more than 70 panchayats in the district.

Kayanna is among several grama panchayats in the district facing acute water shortage, with residents seeking concrete intervention from the local administration for several years. Similar concerns were reported from Thiruvambada, Kodenchery, Kattippara, Puthuppady, Koodaranji, Chakkittappara, Kizhakkoth, Kavilumpara, Kayakkodi, Velam and Narippatta.

Residents say more attention should be paid to restoring defunct systems instead of relying mostly on tanker supplies, which entail recurring expenses. They argue that revitalizing existing infrastructure and developing sustainable local water resources would offer a more permanent solution to summer shortages. There have also been allegations from some local authorities that residents raising such concerns are being sidelined.

Degradation of small bodies of water and natural drainage channels has exacerbated this problem. The absence of systematic mapping and conservation measures has left several creeks and streams threatened by dumping and pollution, with some already drying up. Many of these bodies of water are closely connected to local sources of drinking water.

Digital mapping

A digital mapping initiative covering rural streams and rivers, undertaken with the support of the Haritha Keralam Mission, is expected to boost water conservation efforts and identify pollution threats. Kunnamangalam block panchayat has been included in the first phase, but the exercise is yet to cover several other local bodies in the district.

Another problem is salt water intrusion, especially in coastal areas. Several drinking water pipeline projects in parts of Vadakara and Koyilanda are also awaiting completion. Representatives of the various coastal residents’ forums hope that the proposed district and constituency level reviews will alert the authorities to these region-specific issues and help identify measures that can be taken before the onset of peak summer.

Published – 03 Nov 2026 07:00 IST