Kochi: The collapse of a massive water tank in Thammanam in the early hours of Monday has disrupted water supply to several parts of Kochi, prompting an all-out effort by Kerala Water Authority (KWA) officials to restore the flow. Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine chaired an emergency meeting in Ernakulam to assess the situation. It may take up to two days to restart the pumping and restore the water supply.

The 40-year-old overhead tank, located near the Ponnurunni bridge on the Thammanam–Ponnurunni road, had a total storage capacity of 1.35 crore litres. According to Augustine, one of its two compartments, Compartment-1, suffered a catastrophic structural failure around 2.30 am, releasing an estimated 1.15 crore litres of water in under two hours.

“One of the outer slabs of the first compartment gave way, leading to the massive outflow. Since both chambers were interconnected, the entire 1.35 crore litres drained out within one and a half hours,” Augustine said after visiting the site.

The incident inundated several houses, damaged vehicles, and flooded roads near Thammanam, but a major disaster was averted as the water flowed through the lanes and receded quickly. 

Disruption across Kochi
The Thammanam tank plays a crucial role in supplying drinking water to vast stretches of the city, including Tripunithura, Petta, Palarivattom, Thammanam, and Cheranalloor. With one compartment destroyed, the supply network is expected to face severe pressure fluctuations and intermittent disruptions over the next few days. 

Augustine said the government’s immediate priority is to restore operations using the intact Compartment-2, which remains structurally stable. “It will be separated from the collapsed chamber and reinforced with sand sacks. Structural engineers from the KWA, PWD, and a team from CUSAT are assessing its strength,” he said.

KWA teams have already shut the main valve of the massive pipe from the Periyar pump house in Aluva, which feeds the Thammanam water tank. Typically, two four-hour pumping sessions are carried out daily using both compartments.

“With one compartment gone, we plan to switch to multiple two-hour pumping sessions to manage pressure safely. However, there will be unavoidable fluctuations in supply,” a KWA official said.

According to a senior KWA engineer, since the tank supplies nearly 30 per cent of Kochi’s daily water, there will be shortages, especially in the tail-end areas like Cheranalloor. “We are trying to stabilise pressure and reroute flow from the second compartment,” the official said.

Augustine said that a Plan B, including the use of water tankers, is being explored to stabilise the network in the event of prolonged disruption.

Meanwhile, the Revenue Department has begun evaluating property losses in the affected neighbourhood. Around 15 houses were damaged, and a nearby health centre lost medical stock to flooding. Two cars, autorickshaws, and 10 two-wheelers were damaged after being washed away by the heavy water flow.

“Revenue officials are visiting the affected homes to record losses. The government will decide on further procedures,” Augustine said.