Desalination plants back in the reckoning in Keralam, govt. set ups expert committee to study feasibility

The UDF government in Kerala is actively contemplating the establishment of desalination plants along the coast to combat drinking water shortages. To assess the technical and financial feasibility of such projects, a 13-member expert committee has been formed. The committee, chaired by the Technical Member of the Kerala Water Authority and led by the Chief Engineer of the KWA, will submit recommendations to the government.

This initiative follows decades of discussions and proposals for desalination plants, with no project yet commissioned. The committee's formation came after a meeting chaired by the Water Resources Minister in July. During the LDF government's tenure, the previous Water Resources Minister had also emphasized the need for seawater desalination plants to tackle water shortages on the coast.

In 2021, the KWA began consultations with the National Institute of Ocean Technology to identify suitable desalination systems for Kerala's coastal environment. Following initial discussions, the KWA, Fisheries department, and NIOT appointed nodal officers to evaluate their viability. In February 2026, the previous Water Resources Minister informed the State Assembly that a detailed engineering report had been prepared, estimating the project's cost at ₹215 crore.

Coastal villages in Kerala are among the most vulnerable regions in terms of uninterrupted water supply. The proposed 10 million liters per day seawater desalination plant was to be located in Pallipuram panchayat in Vypeen.