If everything goes as planned, waterpipe bursts will be a matter of past in the state, as the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) is replacing the existing pipes with new ones.

In an ambitious project, the KWA plans to eliminate pipe bursting incidents in eight years. Priority will be given to corporations and places with thicker population. Though the project is at various levels of implementation, availability of funds remains a major problem. In districts like Kannur and Malappuram, the project is almost completed and in central and southern parts, though at slow phase, the project is progressing.

T C Subran, KWA technical member, said the authority is planning to replace all the existing old pipes by 2021. “Thrust will be given to vulnerable pipes in the corporation limits and areas with more number of consumers. Priority will be given to pumping and transmission pipelines across the state. For the project, Rs 100 crore was allotted in the state budget this year. This will be suitably distributed among various areas in Kerala,” he said.

Experts point out that pre-stressed concrete pipes and asbestos cement pipes are the ones which burst frequently in the state.“Maximum lifetime of these pipes is 15-20 years. But pipes in some areas are about 40 years old. ‘‘This, coupled with the climatic conditions, increases the chance of pipe bursts,” KWA officials said. Subran said KWA plans to replace these pipes with mild steel pipe and ductile iron pipes, with a lifetime of 50 years. K V Mohanan, KWA assistant executive engineer, said high water pressure might have led to pipe bursts in various parts of the state in recent times.

“Many proposals to replace the pipelines in certain areas are yet to be materialised. Fund availability is a major problem,” he said.According to the available data with the the Kerala Water Authority , the state has 14,65,448 water connections.