International Journal of Management and Applied Science, ISSN: 2394-7926 Volume-2, Issue-6, Jun.-2016 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT STUDY ON SELECTED CANALS IN ALAPPUZHA-KOTTAYAM REGION
1MERIN ELIZABETH BABY, 2AMRITHA P VIJAY, 3MEGHANA B M, 4SHERIN ELIZABETH VARGHES
1,2,3,4B-Tech, Civil Engineering Department, Sree Budha College of Engineering for Women E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Abstract— Inland Water transport (IWT) is free of pollution, accidents and is affordable. The use of inland waterways is more significant especially in Kerala where the vehicle population is doubled in every six years and availability of land for road development is very less. This study therefore focuses on detailed investigation for the improvement of feeder canals in the Alappuzha-Kottayam districts [Alappuzha-Kottayam (AK) Canal, Kottayam –Vaikom (KV) Canal, Alappuzha – Changanserry (AC) Canal and Athirampuzha Canal] for its betterment. From the detailed reconnaissance, inventory and condition survey it was found that there were several bottlenecks in bank protection, transportation, and environmental constraints. Also the drawbacks identified were wastewater and solid waste disposal, weed growth as well as eutrophication due to fertilizers and sewage. The physical, chemical and biological parameters was analysed from 12 different locations of the study area and it was found that, the water stagnation, weeds growth and other existing wastes in the canal caused the higher levels of pollutants and this can be rectified by providing sanitary sewer pipeline and solid waste disposals. From the socio-economic survey, base year total population for the study area was found to be 11560 and the water demand and wastewater generation was estimated as 1.56MLD and 1.17MLD respectively. Similarly solid waste generation for the base year was estimated as 1.78T/day. In this context, two Sewage Treatment Plants (STP’s) were proposed at locations Kainady (STP 1) in Alappuzha district and Maniyamparambu (STP 2) in Kottayam district. Projection was done for the year 2035 and wastewater generation for projected population for each canal was estimated. Design of sanitary sewer was based on this estimated wastewater generation and the total Average Design Flow (ADF) for the study area is 1,27,980 m3/day. For management of solid waste, disposal sites identified at different locations.
Keywords— Inland Water Transport, Water Pollution, Canals in Alappuzha, Sewer system.
I. INTRODUCTION Alappuzha and Kottayam districts make a water transport popular means of transport. Inland Water Transport (IWT) can play a significant The feeder canals selected for environmental role in the regions where the availability of road rail improvement by cleaning, dredging, provision of systems is inadequate. One of the major advantage of navigational aids, bank protection, providing sanitary water transport is that waterways being the gift of sewer pipelines, safety measures and encouragement nature, and can be used for navigation with minimum of public and private sectors to use the waterways for investment. The benefit of water transport lies in its navigation are shown in Table 1. Figure 1 shows the capacity to move bulk cargo at a cheaper cost. The base map of study stretches. presence of a lot of backwaters and canals in
Table 1 Study Stretches
II. SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES To estimate the water demand, wastewater and solid waste generation and disposal methods The scope and objectives of the study are as follows; To identify other environmental constraints To conduct detailed inventory To design the sanitary sewer pipeline To assess the existing population profile To list out the improvement proposal.
Environmental Improvement Study on Selected Canals in Alappuzha-Kottayam Region
69 International Journal of Management and Applied Science, ISSN: 2394-7926 Volume-2, Issue-6, Jun.-2016 To work out implementation mechanism and developmental activities. organisational set up for carrying out the
Figure 1. Study Area Map
III. MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY Sewage is the mainly liquid waste containing some solids produced by humans which typically consists 3.1 Reconnaissance, Inventory and Condition of washing water, faeces, urine, laundry waste and Survey other materials from household. A detailed reconnaissance was carried out to assess Designing of sanitary sewer involves estimation of the present condition of the canal, details of cross waste flow rates for the design data and evaluation of structures like road bridges, rail bridges, foot bridges, local condition, which may affect the hydraulic pipelines, electric lines, telephone lines etc, existing operation of the system; the selection of the hydraulic bank protection, road connectivity, land use and plan –design equation, maximum and minimum sizes; the course of action. maximum and minimum velocities and pipeline alignments. 3.2 Socio-economic Survey This was done through a detailed questionnaire 3.5 Environmental Constraints survey which provides details of demography, type of The presence of water hyacinth along the study buildings, built up area, drainage facilities, sanitary stretches is not permit smooth operation of facilities, livestock details, sources of water, waterways. From the navigational point of view, the availability of water, water demand, purpose of water, objective is to clear the waterways, eliminate fouling disposal of waste water and solid waste and usage of of propellers with water hyacinth, and ensure canal. unobstructed passage of boats. The removal and disposal of water hyacinth is the challengeable task 3.3 Population, Water Demand, Waste water and involved in this study. Solid Waste Generation The effective control of the water hyacinth would be From the socio economic survey, the existing a major relief to the entire Kuttanad population. The population along the study stretch was obtained. The entire aspect is the subject of ‘Water Hyacinth population projection is determined by various Management Plan’ prepared for the Project Report. methods like incremental increase method, graphical slope method and arithmetic mean method. The 3.6 Improvement Proposal design period for the population projection is taken as Development proposals were identified to make the 2025. The water demand, generation of waste water canal navigational which includes desilting, and solid waste are also calculated for the projected widening, protection of banks, improvement of the population. canal, provision of navigational aids, improvement of approach roads, reconstruction of cross-structures 3.4 Design of Sewer line with inadequate clearance, sewage and sewerage Sewer is an artificial conduit or system of conduits treatment facilities, canal protection and safety used to remove sewage and to provide drainage. measures etc.
Environmental Improvement Study on Selected Canals in Alappuzha-Kottayam Region
70 International Journal of Management and Applied Science, ISSN: 2394-7926 Volume-2, Issue-6, Jun.-2016 IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION cross structures are having the vertical and horizontal 4.1 Inventory of Bridges clearances of Kerala State Irrigation standards. The total cross structures along the study stretches are given in Table 2. Out of 40 cross structures only 9
Table 2. Summarised Result of Cross Structures
4.2 Existing and Projected Population and it is estimated as 11821. The base year population The total population along the study stretches is is given in Table 3. For the projected population the 11560 for the base year. Based on the decadal growth water demand, wastewater and solid waste generation rate from 1901, the population is projected for 2025 are also determined and are given in Table 4.
Table 3. Base Year Population
Table 4. Population, Water Demand, Wastewater and Solid Waste in 2025
4.3 Sanitary Sewer line The nominal sewer size of 600mm (24 inch) diameter Two Sewage Treatment Plants (STP’s) are proposed pipe is assumed for carrying the sewer and the at Kainady (STP 1) in Alappuzha district and minimum slope of 0.08m/100m will be maintained Maniyamparambu (STP 2) in Kottayam district. The for sewer lines. sewage generated along AC and AK canal will be treated at STP 1 and at STP 2 the sewage from KV 4.4 Solid Waste Management and Athirampuzha canals will be treated. Other major environmental issue in this area is solid The design area of sewer pipeline is estimated as 108 waste disposal. The generation of solid waste include Ha. The residential and commercial activities consist decayed vegetables and fruits, leaves, kitchen wastes, of 75.6 Ha and 32.4 Ha respectively. Table 5 Shows paper pieces, cloth pieces etc. At present the settlers the Average Daily Flow (ADF), Peaking Factor (PF) are directly disposing the solid waste into the canal. and Peak Design Flow (PDF) of the canals. This dumping of waste is becoming the huge barrier to flow in canal and also affecting the natural beauty Table 5. Design Parameters of Sewer Pipeline of the canal. Basically there are three types of disposal techniques practical in solid waste management. Sanitary land fill Composting Incineration
Environmental Improvement Study on Selected Canals in Alappuzha-Kottayam Region
71 International Journal of Management and Applied Science, ISSN: 2394-7926 Volume-2, Issue-6, Jun.-2016 being a nuisance for fishing operations. The Disposal of solid waste on land is by far the most propellers of motorised vessels often become fouled common method in use today. Land disposal in the with the weeds resulting in their resulting in their form of a sanitary land fill has proved to be the most frequent stopping to clear propellers with the economical and acceptable method for the disposal of consequent loss of time. solid wastes. The removal and disposal of water hyacinths is a Composting is biological process. Just as the major bottle neck of the inland water navigation. microorganism in water take up bio degradable Various methods like salinity approach, cattle feed, organic matter as their food, similarly microorganism biogas generation, packing materials, floral in solid also use bio-degradable organic matter as arrangements, pulp and paper manufacturing, manure food. This process can be either aerobic or anaerobic. composting and other appropriate physical, chemical Incineration is nothing but the burning of solid waste. and biological methods for removal as well as But it will produce considerable smoke and a disposal of water hyacinths are discussed in detail. pollution issue. Based on the characteristics of solid wastes the The magnitude of water hyacinth in the study area is appropriate disposal method is listed out in Table 6 given in Table 7. by location wise. Table 7. Magnitude of the area affected by Water Table 6 Solid Waste Disposal Method Hyacinth
4.5.2 Water/Sediment Quality Due to the absence of sewage treatment and disposal of solid waste the canal has becoming the dumping yard of the settlers on banks. Even most of the places the availability of portable drinking water is scarce. So it is recommended that a detailed study on these Involvement of Alappuzha and Kottayam issues should be carried out. Development Authority and Local NGO’s are Other sources of water pollution are due to the required for effective waste management of the area. pumping of excess water from adjacent sites of agricultural field which includes fertilizers, chemicals 4.5 Environmental Constraints and etc. The micro and macro nutrients from these 4.5.1 Water Hyacinth agricultural waste deposited on the beds of the canal. Water Hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes) is a free- The enrich sediments are becoming the best nutrition floating plant most commonly seen in all the canals for the growth of weeds, water hyacinths and other and waterways in abundance. This plant has only plants. It is the major concern of inland water nodes and small roots. Only one or two roots just navigation and other environmental concerns. touch the mud. It reproduces rapidly by vegetative propagation. CONCLUSION Several varieties of aquatic weeds are found in the project canals and include six types of floating plants. The selected feeder canals in Alappuzha and These are: Kottayam region pauses constraints interims of Eichomia Crassipes (Water hyacinth) siltation, less stable slopes, unprotected banks, water Salvinia molesta (African payal) hyacinth growth, stagnated and contaminated water Nymphaea stellata (Water lily) and improper solid waste management. This can be Nymphaea nouchali rectified by dredging of the canal, proper protection Nymphoides cristatum of banks, scientific management of sewage and solid Nymphoides indicum waste etc. The above measures will restore and The weeds and water hyacinths are the major maintain the water flow in the canal. The constraints of all the canals and water bodies. It development of the canal stretch would boost up the provides a breeding ground for mosquitoes and overall social, economic and environmental seriously affects the health of the people apart from conditions of the area.
Environmental Improvement Study on Selected Canals in Alappuzha-Kottayam Region
72 International Journal of Management and Applied Science, ISSN: 2394-7926 Volume-2, Issue-6, Jun.-2016 REFERENCES [3] 3.Sylas V P et al, ”Distribution of Phytoplanktonin Relation with water Quality Of Alappuzha- Chenganassery Canal Of Kuttanad Wetland Ecosystem [1] Jessy Saji ,”Integrated Water Resource and Solid Southern India “, 2015 Waste Management: Alappuzha, Kerala”,2006 [4] V Sobha et al,” Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution [2] K. Sreejith ,”Human Impact in Kuttanad Wetland Status of Vembanadu Lake- Case study, Kerala“, March Ecosystem “,2013 2011
Environmental Improvement Study on Selected Canals in Alappuzha-Kottayam Region
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