Water pollution

Thiruvananthapuram city has several rivers, canals, lakes, and coastal waters such as Karamana River, Killi River, Parvathy Puthanar Canal, Amayizhanjan Canal, Akkulam–Veli Lake system and coastal sea areas. Many of these water bodies are polluted mainly due to untreated sewage, plastic waste, drainage discharge, and urban runoff. Below is a structured planning model for Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation (TMC) to control and reduce water pollution.

1. Source Control Planning

Identify and stop pollution at the origin.

  1. Survey all drains entering rivers and canals.

  2. Map sewage outlets from houses and apartments.

  3. Identify industrial effluent discharge points.

  4. Control hospital and laboratory waste discharge.

  5. Prevent plastic dumping near canals and rivers.

  6. Ban direct drainage connection to water bodies.

  7. Install waste traps in stormwater drains.

  8. Enforce strict environmental permits for industries.

  9. Monitor construction site runoff.

  10. Create a city pollution source database.

2. Sewage Treatment Infrastructure

Untreated sewage is the largest pollution source in city rivers and canals.

  1. Build decentralized sewage treatment plants (STP).

  2. Upgrade underground sewer networks.

  3. Ensure every apartment has a mini-STP.

  4. Treat wastewater before entering canals.

  5. Install bio-digesters in dense areas.

  6. Introduce greywater recycling systems.

  7. Treat market and slaughterhouse wastewater.

  8. Connect drains to treatment plants instead of rivers.

  9. Use constructed wetlands for natural treatment.

  10. Create reuse systems for treated water.

3. River and Canal Rejuvenation

Focus on major polluted water bodies.

Priority water bodies:

  • Karamana River

  • Killi River

  • Parvathy Puthanar Canal

  • Amayizhanjan Canal

  • Akkulam–Veli Lake system

Actions:

  1. Desilt rivers and canals.

  2. Remove encroachments from riverbanks.

  3. Install floating waste collectors.

  4. Develop riverbank green buffers.

  5. Stop sewage inflow into canals.

  6. Introduce aeration systems for oxygen improvement.

  7. Restore mangroves and wetlands.

  8. Reopen blocked natural drainage channels.

  9. Prevent sand mining in riverbeds.

  10. Create riverfront ecological parks.

4. Solid Waste Management

Plastic waste in water bodies causes major ecological damage.

  1. Door-to-door waste collection system.

  2. Plastic recycling centers in each zone.

  3. Ban dumping in canals and rivers.

  4. Install smart waste bins near waterways.

  5. River surface garbage skimming machines.

  6. Waste segregation at household level.

  7. Marine plastic cleanup programs.

  8. Strict fines for illegal dumping.

  9. Floating trash barriers in canals.

  10. Waste tracking and reporting system.

5. Stormwater Drainage Management

  1. Separate sewage and stormwater drains.

  2. Regular cleaning of city drainage channels.

  3. Install sediment traps in drains.

  4. Prevent flooding pollution during monsoon.

  5. Create rainwater harvesting systems.

  6. Build urban retention ponds.

  7. Filter stormwater before entering rivers.

  8. Maintain canals as flood carriers.

  9. Monitor drain water quality.

  10. Install check gates near estuaries.

6. Water Quality Monitoring

  1. Establish water monitoring stations.

  2. Measure pH, BOD, COD, and dissolved oxygen.

  3. Monitor bacterial contamination.

  4. Test heavy metals in canals.

  5. Monitor industrial discharge quality.

  6. Use IoT sensors for real-time monitoring.

  7. Publish monthly water quality reports.

  8. Satellite monitoring for pollution mapping.

  9. GIS mapping of pollution hotspots.

  10. Early warning system for contamination.

7. Coastal and Marine Pollution Control

  1. Monitor pollution near Veli, Shangumugham, and Vizhinjam.

  2. Control industrial marine discharge.

  3. Install offshore wastewater treatment pipelines.

  4. Monitor coastal water pH and oxygen levels.

  5. Remove marine plastic waste.

  6. Protect fish breeding zones.

  7. Monitor effluents entering the sea.

  8. Prevent fishing harbor pollution.

  9. Protect coral and marine ecosystems.

  10. Coastal pollution emergency response system.

8. Public Participation Programs

  1. River adoption programs for residents.

  2. School environmental clubs.

  3. Monthly river cleaning drives.

  4. Community monitoring groups.

  5. Citizen pollution reporting mobile app.

  6. Awareness campaigns about sewage disposal.

  7. Plastic-free ward campaigns.

  8. Volunteer eco-brigades.

  9. Temple and tourism area clean initiatives.

  10. Eco-education in schools.

9. Legal Enforcement

  1. Enforce Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974.

  2. Fine illegal waste dumping.

  3. Mandatory STP in large buildings.

  4. Monitor industries through Pollution Control Board.

  5. Penalize illegal sewage discharge.

  6. Enforce coastal regulation zones (CRZ).

  7. Prevent river encroachments.

  8. Control sand mining.

  9. Mandatory environmental compliance audits.

  10. Fast-track environmental violation cases.

10. Smart Technology Solutions

  1. AI-based pollution detection.

  2. Drone monitoring of rivers and canals.

  3. Smart floating garbage collectors.

  4. Water-quality IoT sensors.

  5. Pollution heat-map dashboards.

  6. Satellite imagery analysis.

  7. Mobile reporting apps for citizens.

  8. Automatic trash barrier systems.

  9. Digital pollution tracking platform.

  10. Smart environmental command center.

✅ Final Objective for TMC

  • Clean rivers and canals

  • Safe drinking water sources

  • Healthy coastal ecosystem

  • Flood-free urban drainage

  • Sustainable urban water management