Pulikkalkavala: The drinking water tank near the Vazhoor St. Peter’s Church that is more than 60 years old is in a dilapidated condition and could fall at any moment. The local residents call it a ticking time bomb that could go off at any time. People have been urging the authorities to either dismantle the water tank or move it to a different location. The concrete pillars of the water tank have been decayed and the iron rods are exposed. 

No water in tank
The water authority’s engineers who visited the spot following complaints from the church samiti state that water cannot be stored in the tank as it has lost its capacity to hold water. Vazhoor St. Paul’s School, some shops at Pulikkalkavala and a few public taps get water from this tank. As water cannot be stored in the old tank, the water is distributed as soon as it gets filled. Besides, there is no permanent tank operator here. 

Unclean water
Meanwhile, the consumers say that the water from the tank cannot be used as it’s been years since the tank was last cleaned. Church managing committee member Joy Varghese Kondodikkal says that many have stopped using the water after they noticed discolouration of water due to the sludge deposits in the tank. The laity and the local residents are worried as the water tank poses a danger to the church and the Sunday school building. 

Church committee agrees to give land
The church managing committee has agreed to allot another land if the authorities are willing to move the water tank from here. The committee promised to give a nearby plot with access for vehicles. Besides, the church also expressed its willingness to build two tanks with a capacity of 5000 litres each.