A water bomb in Periyar

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Periyar River may be the main source of drinking water for the city, but is it really safe to depend on it?
An Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (IST) study claims not, contending that it is polluted with toxins.

The study maintains in its report submitted to the Kerala High Court that the study has found varying quantities of endosulfan in 200 samples of water collected from the river at 64 locations.

The highest, 5.99 milligram per litre, was found near Setty Paper Mills and 0.08 milligram per litre, near Sri Sakthi Paper Mills, it says.

If its findings are right then drinking the water could be a health hazard as even close to 3 milligrams of endosulfan in a litre of water can seriously impact people's health in the long run, say experts.

Nodal officer, Endosulfan Rehabilitation Programme, Asheel Mohammed says in women, endosulfan-infested water mimics estrogen action.

“It stimulates the production of their receptors leading to estrogenemia, breast cancer and recurrent abortions.”

“It can also cause infertility among men and delay sexual maturing of children,” he explains,
He is also warning that if the contents of the study are proved right, "then we could be sitting on a potential water bomb.”

Water treatment still ineffective

Now that Periyar has been officially acknowledged as being polluted with endosulfan, the focus shifts to the effective treatment of its water to make it worthy of drinking.

Kerala Water Authority (KWA) presently adopts only chlorination for this.

But, would that do? Experts say chlorination would only help in the destruction of bacteria, parasites and other disease-causing organisms.

It can also to an extent remove soluble iron, manganese and hydrogen sulphide.

However, when it comes to the removal of toxics, it would be of no help, says noted environmentalist and chemistry professor S. Seetharaman.

He says it's time the authorities developed an effective water treatment technique.

"Periyar river contains pesticides and several other high toxic chemical components. At present, it all goes unchecked and people are forced to drink poisoned water", he lamented.

The district has three water treatment plants at Muppathadam, Aluva and Chowara.

Prof. Seetharaman says technology is available to treat water containing endosulfan.

"It's a time-consuming process but technologies like air-stripping or granular activated carbon (GAC) can do the trick", Prof. Seetharaman said.

However, KWA officials say they have no such advanced technologies. "We've only chlorinating facility", one official said.

So, one is left with the only option of praying to the Almighty before drinking every glass of water!