Supply restored in parts but tail-end areas remain without regular water
Several localities across Kochi continue to grapple with an acute water shortage that has persisted for weeks, residents and association leaders said. The shortages followed recent pipe bursts and temporary shutdowns at the municipal water treatment plants at Aluva and Maradu, aggravating supply interruptions already reported in some neighbourhoods.
While municipal agencies have moved to restore supply in many areas, households in tail-end sections and narrow interior lanes remain disproportionately affected. Community representatives and residents described a situation in which access varies street by street, with some families receiving water intermittently and others entirely cut off.
Vulnerable households and public facilities affected
Local residents’ groups reported sustained hardship in southern parts of Poonithura and adjacent wards. Sankaranarayanan K.S., secretary of the Mukkottil Temple Road Residents Association, Poonithura, said more than 500 families in the southern part of Poonithura, Vyttila, have been struggling without water. He traced the current difficulties to supply problems that began in 2024 and said the situation worsened after the Thammanam tank burst, which disrupted distribution patterns.
Representatives of the T.D. Road area also described heightened hardship for elderly and ailing residents after the tank incident. K.S. Dilip Kumar, president of the T.D. Road Citizens Welfare Association and vice-president of the Residents Associations’ Coordination Council, said many households that had previously had stable supplies are now facing interruptions. An octogenarian resident near T.D. Road, Devi R. Menon, said frequent disruptions had severely affected her health.
Public facilities have not been spared. A staff member at the public health laboratory on T.D. Road said the facility has been relying on tanker lorries for the past two months. The laboratory, which requires water for staff, patients and machinery, has faced operational challenges because of the unreliable supply.
Access impeded by narrow lanes; residents forced to fetch their own water
In several interior stretches, tankers cannot reach homes because streets are too narrow. Philomina Mohandas, president of the northern area unit of the Ernakulam District Residents’ Associations’ Apex Council, listed localities reporting complete stoppage of supply, including Cemetery Junction in Kacheripady, SRM Road, and Kannachan Thodu in Ayyappankavu. Residents in these lanes are reportedly carrying water from collection points to their homes.
"Water supply has completely stopped in these regions. Since the streets are too narrow for tankers to enter, residents are forced to carry water to their homes," Philomina Mohandas said.
Panampilly Nagar councillor Antony Painuthara noted that several families in his division have been affected, though he and others indicated that restoration efforts were under way in parts of the city.
- Cause: Recent pipe bursts and shutdowns at Aluva and Maradu water treatment plants; earlier Thammanam tank burst affected distribution.
- Impact: Over 500 families in southern Poonithura reported without regular supply; narrow lanes inaccessible to tanker deliveries.
- Public services: A public health laboratory on T.D. Road has been using tanker water for two months, affecting equipment and patient services.
Residents’ groups emphasised that the problem is not uniform across the city: while primary lines and main distribution areas have seen partial restoration, peripheral feeders and end-of-line connections remain vulnerable to interruptions. The difficulty in delivering tanker water to narrow lanes is a recurring concern in Kochi’s dense older neighbourhoods.
| Area | Reported problem |
|---|---|
| Southern Poonithura (Vyttila) | Over 500 families without regular supply |
| T.D. Road | Frequent disruptions; public health lab relying on tankers |
| Cemetery Junction, Kacheripady; SRM Road; Kannachan Thodu | Supply stopped; tankers unable to reach narrow streets |
Residents and association leaders urged the municipal authorities to prioritise immediate measures to reach narrow lanes and to expedite repairs at treatment and distribution points to reduce recurrence. They also called for clearer schedules and communication on supply restoration so families can plan for medical and domestic needs.
Municipal engineers and water authorities were reported to be working on repairs and supply restoration. City residents said they expected a prompt response given the prolonged nature of the shortages and the impact on vulnerable households and essential services.
The situation highlights ongoing challenges in urban water distribution where ageing infrastructure and isolated incidents can cause cascading shortages in dependent neighbourhoods.
