Kasaragod, Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, and Kozhikode have a high number of wards experiencing recurrent summer water stress, says a study undertaken by the Kozhikode-based government agency Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM).
Water stress is the condition in a particular area during a period when the water demand is higher than its availability. The study titled ‘Kerala Water Resources Assessment 2024: Rainfall, Rivers, Groundwater and Wetlands’ was released recently. It says that Kerala experiences recurrent summer water stress between March and May despite high annual rainfall, driven by uneven seasonal distribution, limited storage, growing demand, and rising heat.
As much as 24.74% of the wards in Kasaragod, 22.01% in Thiruvananthapuram, 20.72% in Pathanamthitta, and 20.48% in Kozhikode are experiencing high water stress. The number of affected wards in Kasaragod, Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, and Kozhikode is 217, 286, 216, and 361, respectively. Malappuram (14.84%), Idukki (10.60%), Alappuzha (10.41%), and Kannur (9.60%) have moderate water stress. In districts such as Kasaragod and Kannur, groundwater depletion and saline intrusion were identified as critical challenges, while in Wayanad and Malappuram, inadequate distribution networks and unreliable municipal supplies aggravated the crisis.
