The Kerala government has ordered urgent action over Kochi’s continuing drinking-water crisis, including a review of official lapses, a meeting of all agencies involved in supply and measures to strengthen the Aluva water treatment plant. The shortage has affected Kochi city and several parts of Ernakulam constituency for the past three months.
Water Resources Minister Mons Joseph announced the measures in the Kerala Assembly while responding to a submission by T.J. Vinod, MLA. The minister said complaints of serious lapses by officials involved in drinking-water distribution had been received at various levels. He directed senior officials to submit a report and said strict action would follow based on its findings.
A meeting involving Kochi’s MLAs and all officials connected with water distribution will be convened after the Assembly session, the minister said. The meeting will examine the reasons for the current crisis, identify failures in the distribution system and decide immediate measures to improve supply.
The most severely affected locations include Chittoor, Vaduthala, Pachalam, Thattazham, Ayyappankavu, Elamakkara and Kaloor. Residents in central Kochi, including areas around P.T. Usha Road and T.D. Road, have also reported acute shortages. Vinod told the Assembly that the situation had reached a point where disputes were taking place among residents seeking drinking water.
Kochi’s supply system had been storing water from Aluva and Maradu in a 135-million-litre-per-day tank at Thammanam before distributing it across the city. One 65-million-litre-per-day chamber of the tank collapsed on November 10, 2025, because of its age. Following expert advice, the remaining chamber, which also has a capacity of 65 million litres per day, has been used to store and pump about 40 million litres per day.
Officials had expected the collapse of one chamber to reduce supply, but distribution initially continued without major difficulties. The crisis became severe over the past three months, according to the report. The minister indicated that failures to identify the reasons for the reduced availability and correct distribution deficiencies had contributed to the shortage.
The government also referred to the Kochi Urban Water Supply Improvement Project, being implemented with assistance from the Asian Development Bank. The project covers Kochi Corporation and nearby areas including Keezhmad, Edathala, Choornikkara, Narakkal, Elankunnapuzha, Mulavukad, Nayarambalam, Varapuzha, Cheranallur, Kadungalloor, Chellanam, Kumbalangi and Kadamakkudy.
Its stated components include surveys, asset mapping, replacement of old pipelines and a 10-year maintenance arrangement. The project also includes replacing an ageing pump set at the Aluva water treatment plant, a step expected to provide an additional five million litres of water per day.
The government’s immediate response will depend on the report sought from senior officials and the meeting planned after the Assembly session. The minister said the meeting would determine measures to address the causes of the crisis and provide an urgent solution to the shortage.
