5.10 Kerala Water Authority

1. The responsibility to check the quality of water (physical, chemical, and biological) and to take the necessary corrective measures so as to ensure that it falls within the acceptable Water Quality index as prescribed by the law, is the duty of Water Authority.

2. The functioning of the refinery may be affected by the biological waste and mud that would be carried along with the water that flows in during monsoon. So necessary precautionary measures have to be taken in the source intake. Even then, if the amount of mud remains higher than the acceptable limit, then specific measures need to be taken to evaluate the water quality index.

3. After chlorination, check if the level of residual chlorine is within the desirable limit at each outlet. Conduct super chlorination in areas prone to waterborne diseases.

4. Special precautionary measures have to be taken in case of inadequate pressure or leakages in water distribution pipelines.

5. Special attention has to be given to the pipelines that pass nearby or across the drainages or sewages and ensure the quality of water at the distribution end and make sure it is not contaminated.

6. Water reservoirs should be cleaned and ensure the quality of water.

7. Arrange alternative water storage and related infrastructure which is to be used in case if the existing system gets damaged.

8. Check and determine the quality of water distributed by the representatives of health/local self-government/revenue departments, either free or on an amount determined by the government. Contact the respective District Disaster Management Authority, in order to release funds from the State Disaster Response Fund for ensuring the quality of water in the flood-affected villages of those sources from which water is taken for distribution there.

9. Provide details of the red, orange, blue alert water levels of all the dams under the control of Water Authority and the conditions as per the rule curve under which the water would be released, to the District Disaster Management Authority of all the concerned districts (where the dam is situated or those that would be affected by the water release). This has to be done before June 10.and prior permission needs to be taken.

10. If there is a presumption that there exists a condition in which water needs to be released, at the time of the blue alert, the message should be conveyed to all the rapid response centers ( BSNL 1077) of all the concerned districts that come under the path of water flow. The initial communication has to made by the department at least 36 hours before the release. Make sure that the permission is received from all the concerned district collectors before the release.

11. At no circumstance, do not drain fresh water from the dams between 6 PM to 6 AM.

12. Before the release, consider the condition of the ocean at the time of high tide and refer to the INCOIS website for the information on the same.

13. Make sure that at least 24 hours of time is available for the District Disaster Management Authority in between blue alert and red alert.

14. In dams which have an only orange alert and red alert, make sure that 24 hours of time is available for the District Disaster Management Authority in between the orange alert and red alert.

15. As per the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) prepared by the department, a pamphlet in Malayalam including the necessary information regarding each dam, have to be distributed among the public and local authority. It should include information like how to give warning to the public, how to shift them in emergency situations etc. Details about the people residing in low lying areas, the safe areas for them, the available transportation facilities, ways of evacuation, etc. should also be included.

16. Some small dams cannot meet this requirement. Therefore, they are listed in table annexure 4. Before opening the shutters of these dams permission should be taken from the concern district collectors.