Sludge from the septage treatment facility of the Kochi Corporation is polluting the fresh water sources in Brahmapuram area, said a report.
The report was accessed by The Hindu.
The panel report pointed out that the septic tank sludge collected from various sites was “simply dumped into waterbodies without any processing.” It was also pointed out that the “amount of contamination that is made by this action is huge and its impact on the health of the people of Puthenkurishu and 10 other panchayats and municipalities.
The panel, which submitted its report to the State Agriculture Production Commissioner, also suggested that the health impact of the dumping of septage sludge should be investigated.
Minimol, chairperson of the Health Standing Committee of the Kochi Corporation, said only treated water was released from the plant.
Since there is no provision for recycling and reusing the water from the plant, it’s released from the plant site.
The processed sludge was sold as manure, she said.
On the quality of the water and the possibility of contamination, Ms. Minimol said the private agency, which is running the plant for the local body, conducted periodic water quality analysis.
The analysis reports are also submitted to the Corporation, she said.
However, the chairperson said the local body would look into the issue of water quality and possible contamination of waterbodies following the report of the panel.