Unchecked drain outlets add to canal pollution in Vijayawada
Vijayawada's principal canals are increasingly contaminated by untreated discharge from newly created stormwater drain outlets, civic records and municipal engineers said, compounding long-standing water-quality problems across the city.
The Bandar, Eluru and Ryves canals, together with the Budameru, receive untreated domestic sewage through at least 29 stormwater/drain outlets, according to Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) records shared with the press. A recently established discharge point near the fish market at Yenamalakuduru Locks channels run-off from newly built drains directly into the Bandar Canal.
- New outlet at Yenamalakuduru Locks: A separate channel from stormwater drains serving Nirmala Convent Road, Eenadu-NTR Circle Road, Krishnaveni School Road, Patamata Lanka and Darsipeta now discharges into the Bandar Canal.
- Scale of sewage: Vijayawada generates about 157 MLD of sewage daily, of which 130 MLD is reported to be treated, VMC sources said.
- Interception plan: The civic engineering wing has prepared a detailed project report (DPR) to intercept and treat flows from all 29 discharge points, but the estimated cost is approximately ₹1,300 crore.
VMC engineering officials said the new stormwater outlets are primarily intended to drain rainwater from recent urban works, but many of these channels are carrying domestic waste along with runoff because of mixed or connected sewers in several localities. An engineering official described the Yenamalakuduru discharge as a diversion channel carrying rainwater and other flows from the surrounding areas into the Bandar Canal.
"The civic body did not have any official or rough estimate of the volume being discharged through this particular outlet," an engineering official said.
Officials told reporters that the full DPR to intercept all 29 outlets and put in treatment facilities is ready, but the ₹1,300 crore cost makes immediate execution difficult. Until such a comprehensive scheme can be funded and implemented, the civic body said it will prioritise and integrate a few major sewer discharge points and treat the water before release into the canals.
| Canal | Role |
|---|---|
| Bandar Canal | Receiving untreated discharge from new outlet near Yenamalakuduru Locks |
| Eluru Canal | One of three main canals receiving untreated drain and sewage discharge |
| Ryves Canal | Receiving untreated drain and sewage discharge |
| Budameru | Also reported to receive untreated flows |
Environmental and public-health consequences for the city are significant. Contaminated canals affect fisheries, groundwater recharge and urban amenities, and can exacerbate vector-borne disease risk after rains. Local residents and traders alongside the Bandar Canal have raised concerns about odour and deteriorating water quality near fish-market areas, municipal sources said.
VMC engineers emphasised that the city is working to treat flows from major contributors as an immediate step while seeking funds for the larger DPR. They indicated that selective integration and treatment of high-discharge points will be implemented first to reduce pollutant load into the canals.
Environmental experts and civic-watch groups have periodically flagged the problem of mixed drainage in Vijayawada, where stormwater drains and sewage lines are either connected or run in proximity, leading to contamination of water bodies during normal flows and after rainfall. The municipal plan to intercept outlets aims to separate and treat domestic sewage, but the scale and cost present a funding challenge for the civic body.
Residents seeking relief point to the need for both infrastructure investments — such as interceptors, pumping and treatment facilities — and better enforcement to prevent illegal connections of household sewage to storm drains. Meanwhile, the VMC's short-term approach of treating flows at major outlets is likely to determine near-term improvement in canal water quality.
Further details on project timelines, phased financing and specific technical interventions were not available from the civic body at the time of reporting.
