Activists demand treated sewage discharge to protect Coimbatore’s lakes

Activists in Coimbatore push for treated sewage water in lakes to prevent pollution and protect groundwater quality.

Activists and residents in Coimbatore are urging authorities to ensure that only treated sewage water is discharged into lakes and water bodies to prevent further pollution and protect groundwater quality.

“Sewage water should be treated with the same importance as garbage. Local bodies must ensure that only treated water is discharged into lakes. However, in Coimbatore, the underground drainage system is not connected to every household. The civic body must ensure proper connectivity so that all sewage is routed to the STPs already set up in the city. Authorities often claim they will treat sewage fully, but the government must walk the talk,” said R. Raveendran, secretary, Residents Awareness Association of Coimbatore.

While decentralised sewage treatment plants (STPs) have been set up at the Ukkadam Big Tank, Valankulam, and Selvachintamani lake, some are reportedly non-functional due to repairs, and the STPs at Singanallur lake and Narasampathy lake are yet to be commissioned.

S. Banumathi of Achankulam Padhukappu Sangam highlighted long-standing issues in Neelambur village panchayat, where Achankulam has been receiving untreated sewage from neighbouring local bodies for over two decades. “The groundwater is polluted, and water in open wells and borewells within 100 metres of the lake shows discoloration, which is a clear sign of contamination,” she said.

Adding to the concerns, P. Jayaram, a resident of Sungam, said fish were recently found dead and floating in Valankulam. “If the Corporation claims that only treated water is sent to lakes, how can we explain the large number of dead fish?” he asked.

The issue persists as panchayats often cite lack of budget allocation for treatment facilities, while STPs operated by the Coimbatore Corporation are frequently prone to repairs.

Addressing the concerns, Corporation Commissioner M. Sivaguru Prabakaran said, “All the existing STPs in the city are functioning. However, the decentralised STPs currently operating for each lake are insufficient. To resolve this, we have submitted a Detailed Project Report to the State government for a total capacity of 20 MLD, which will cover all the eight lakes in the city. Once implemented, all lakes will receive only treated water.”