The Kerala Water Authority (KWA) plans to increase the number of water quality testing laboratories under it at the sub-district level to 70 during the current financial year.
The modernisation of existing district and sub-district labs and the establishment of new labs are being taken up under the Centrally assisted rural water supply programme Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in which water quality monitoring and surveillance (WQM&S) forms an important component.
At present, Kerala has 32 sub district labs and 14 district labs in addition to the State Referral Institute for Water Quality (SRI) at Nettoor in Ernakulam district. Many of the sub-district laboratories have been operating alongside the district laboratories. In modernising the Statewide laboratory network, the sub-district facilities were in the process of becoming separate entities, a KWA official said. “The idea is to have five sub district-level labs in every district,” the official said.
The Ministry of Jal Shakti Ministry has allocated ₹36.09 crore as Central grants-in-aid for WQM&S activities under JJM during 2021-22. In May, the Centre had also approved the release of ₹451.14 crore as its share for the implementation of JJM in Kerala during 2021-22. The JJM costs are shared 50:50 by the Centre and State.
During May and June, the quality control district labs in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Kannur had won the accreditation of the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) for testing 10 to 14 parameters including colour, odour, turbidity, pH value, alkalinity, dissolved solids, total hardness, calcium, magnesium and chloride. According to the KWA, the labs are equipped to perform water quality tests as prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Act and issue certification. Domestic consumers can get the tests performed at concession rates.
While its lab network constitutes a critical component in ensuring water quality, proper quality monitoring at the KWA water treatment plants (WTP) also play an important role. In due course, KWA plans to obtain accreditation for the labs attached to WTPs also.
