The Local Government Department (LSGD) has estimated that two community-level projects to set up Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) within the Kochi Corporation limits to check illegal discharge of untreated sewage into the Vembanad Lake in Ernakulam have achieved an overall progress of around 70%.
It included co-treatment works at five million liters per day (MLD) STP at Elamkulam and 1.1 MLD STP at Ambedkar Colony, Division 16, Edakochi South. Work on joint cleaning of five MLD VTPs at Elamkulam has reached 75% progress.
The STP project at Ambedkar Colony has achieved 75% progress, according to the latest LSGD assessment. Co-treatment facilities at five MLD VTPs in Elamkulam were temporarily affected earlier due to suffocation. Kerala Water Authority has initiated steps to rectify the problem. An earlier deadline of 31 October 2025 has not been met, although authorities remain hopeful of completing the work without further delay.
The STP at Ambedkar Colony, Division 16, Edakochi South was initially expected to be completed by 30 June 2025. The project has achieved 61% progress by 31 October 2025. According to LSGD, the project has now achieved 71% progress.
These projects were among nine major community-level initiatives implemented to address the problem of indiscriminate sewage pollution in the Vembanad and Ashtamudi lakes. Five community-level projects were underway in Ernakulam as part of the rejuvenation of Vembanad Lake, which was hit by severe sewage pollution. It included four WWTPs and one faecal sludge treatment plant initiated by the Kochi Corporation at Brahmapuram.
The latest assessment showed that the contract was signed with the contractor in charge of the work on October 29, 2025. The construction site will be handed over to the contractor as part of the start of the project, she said.
Published – 28 Jan 2026 21:38 IST
