Piravom water supply has been severely disrupted after multiple distribution pipes broke across the town, with leaks reportedly wasting lakhs of litres of drinking water every hour. The damage has been linked mainly to road-lowering work being carried out as part of the Peruva–Piravom–Peruvamoozhi road project.
According to a report by Mathrubhumi, broken pipes have remained unrepaired at several locations, including the beginning of Kottayam Road near the KSRTC junction, where a leak has reportedly continued for days. Water supply lines are also damaged at Pallikkavala and at multiple points along Kakkad Road.
The repeated failures have affected water distribution across Piravom. The report said the town’s water supply has deteriorated as pipe breaks have become routine and repairs have not been completed promptly. The leaks are also causing significant wastage from a public drinking-water network that is already operating under supply restrictions.
The damage is occurring alongside road work that requires the existing road level to be lowered. Pipes are reportedly breaking during this work, creating a coordination problem between road construction and the water distribution network. The report did not specify whether a joint work plan or damage-response protocol is in place between the agencies responsible for the road and water infrastructure.
Repair delays have also been linked to a change in the way such work is being carried out. Previously, contractors engaged by the Kerala Water Authority handled repairs to broken pipes. Those contractors have reportedly withdrawn because their bills have not been cleared, leaving even routine pipe-repair work without an adequate service arrangement.
After the contractors withdrew, Water Authority officials began hiring workers directly on a daily-wage basis to carry out repairs. However, the report said the department has been unable to find enough workers. This has slowed the response to leaks and left damaged sections of the network unrepaired for extended periods.
The town is also awaiting completion of work to replace the main pipeline bringing water from the Kakkad water-treatment plant to Piravom. That project has not yet been completed. Because the work is still under way, residents are receiving drinking water only on alternate days, adding to the impact of the distribution-pipe failures.
The situation illustrates how delays in routine maintenance can compound the effects of major infrastructure work. A damaged local pipe affects immediate supply in a neighbourhood, while an incomplete main pipeline replacement limits the wider system’s ability to maintain regular distribution. In Piravom, both problems are occurring at the same time, according to the report.
The immediate response remains the repair of the damaged distribution lines and the completion of the main pipeline replacement. The report did not provide a completion date for either the pending repairs or the replacement work.
