Around 70% of two key projects to check sewage pollution completed

The Local Self-Government department (LSGD) has estimated that two community-level projects aimed at setting up sewage treatment plants (STP) within the Kochi Corporation limits to check illegal discharge of untreated wastewater into the Vembanad lake in Ernakulam have achieved a total progress of around 70%.

It included co-treatment works at the five million-litres-per-day (MLD) STP at Elamkulam and the 1.1 MLD STP at Ambedkar Colony, Division 16, Edakochi South. The co-treatment works of the five MLD STP at Elamkulam has achieved a progress of 75%.

The STP project at Ambedkar colony has achieved a progress of 75%, according to the latest assessment by the LSGD. The co-treatment works at the five MLD STP at Elamkulam was hit temporarily earlier due to choking. The Kerala Water Authority had initiated steps to rectify the issue. The earlier deadline of October 31, 2025, could not be met, though the authorities remain hopeful of completing the works without further delay.

The STP at Ambedkar Colony, Division 16, Edakochi South, was initially expected to be completed by June 30, 2025. The project had achieved a progress of 61% by October 31, 2025. According to the LSGD, the project has now achieved a progress to the tune of 71%.

These projects were among the nine major community-level initiatives under implementation to address the issue of indiscriminate sewage pollution in Vembanad and Ashtamudi lakes. There were five community-level projects under way in Ernakulam as part of the rejuvenation of Vembanad lake, which has been affected by severe sewage pollution. It included four STPs and one faecal sludge treatment plant initiated by the Kochi Corporation at Brahmapuram.

The latest assessment showed that the agreement was signed with the contractor entrusted with the work on October 29, 2025. The site will be handed over to the contractor as part of initiating the project, it said.