Safety concerns are growing over the partially collapsed Thammanam reservoir

As the monsoon is expected to intensify, there are fears of further structural deterioration of the partially collapsed Thammanam reservoir as no strengthening work has been carried out on the damaged chamber.

“Leaving the collapsed reservoir as it is is dangerous. It requires close supervision and careful intervention. The collapsed and damaged parts need to be removed and the soil stabilized. This is necessary to ensure structural integrity and convert the structure into one integral monolithic unit,” said a KWA source.

The collapse of Chamber 1 of the 1.35 million liter double-compartment tank at Thammanam on November 10 last year disrupted water supply in several parts of Kochi.

Seven months after the incident, no progress has been made on proposals submitted to the KWA to address the tank’s structural damage or to build a new one.

One of the proposals was to build a new 35-lakh-litre tank on land owned by KWA in Thammanam. The second assumed the redesign of chamber 1 and its continued use after carrying out the necessary structural modifications with regard to maintaining the operability of the second chamber. Although a redesign proposal was submitted, the expert commission that studied the reservoir decided against restoring the collapsed section and recommended building a new reservoir instead. However, the proposed ground tank is still awaiting administrative sanction.

“Overlooking this matter could lead to further deterioration in the future, which could damage the rest of the structure, including the currently functional chamber 2 of the tank,” the source said. Even if the chamber is not used as a reservoir, the structure must be strengthened and damaged parts removed to ensure the stability of the structure. “There is also another tank in the same compound which is old. We need to strengthen these tanks to prevent further deterioration and damage,” the source said.

The source added that the five or six old tanks still operational in the city could experience structural problems in the near future and need to be strengthened. “We need to focus on climate resilience. Salty winds and soil salinity resulting from the state’s proximity to the sea erode these structures and cause structural damage. This needs to be addressed to prevent any disasters,” the source added.

Published – 21 Jun 2026 19:57 IST