Ayyampuzha water contamination concerns have prompted health officials and the Kerala Water Authority to collect samples from the Chullithodu stream after residents reported suspected chemical pollution in water used for drinking and bathing. The samples are being sent for biological and chemical testing.
The health department attached to the Ayyampuzha Family Health Centre collected water for biological analysis following complaints from local residents. The Water Authority has also taken samples, which will be examined to determine whether chemical pollutants are present.
The stream is connected to a pump house that supplies drinking water to several areas of Ayyampuzha panchayat. Residents say they have been experiencing the problem for a long time and that repeated complaints have not resulted in a lasting solution. They also say they have no dependable alternative water sources and have been forced to continue using the affected water.
According to the complaints reported by Mathrubhumi, the water recently appeared milky in some locations. Residents said they experienced itching after entering the stream, while small fish were found floating dead. The water is used by people for drinking and bathing, and is also used by livestock, raising concerns about exposure beyond household consumption.
The stream begins near an area associated with the Plantation Corporation. Residents have alleged that chemical waste from the corporation’s Kallala Estate factory may be reaching the stream. This allegation has not been established by the test results currently awaited. Residents said industrial wastewater should be collected in tanks, treated and only then released, and alleged that untreated discharge may be released into the stream during the rainy season.
Residents said the discharge is difficult to identify when it mixes with rainwater and flows rapidly through the stream. They said the suspected contamination became visible on a recent day when the water level was lower and the incoming flow could be observed more clearly.
The testing process will determine whether the water contains chemical contamination and help establish the immediate public-health implications. Until the results are available, the source of the suspected pollution and the responsibility for any discharge remain unconfirmed. Residents are demanding that any release of polluted water into the stream be stopped and have warned that they may begin stronger protests if action is not taken.
