Wed Sep 03 20:00:50 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

A news report from *The Hindu* on September 4, 2025, reveals severe fecal contamination in the Periyar River in Ernakulam, Kerala, India. Water samples taken from April to June 2025 at multiple monitoring stations exceeded permissible limits for total coliform count, a key indicator of fecal contamination. The worst contamination was found at a sewage discharge point in Aluva, with levels reaching 70,000 MPN/100ml, far exceeding the CPCB limit of 2,500 MPN/100ml for bathing water. Previous monitoring in 2024 also showed non-compliance with water quality standards across multiple locations along the Periyar.

**News Article:**

**Periyar River Plagued by Severe Fecal Contamination: Report**

**KOCHI, September 4, 2025:** A new report has revealed alarming levels of fecal contamination in the Periyar River in Ernakulam district, Kerala. According to test results compiled by the Kerala State Pollution Control Board, the river’s total coliform count, a key indicator of fecal matter, significantly exceeded permissible limits at all four monitoring stations between April and June 2025.

The data, collected as part of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)’s National Water Quality Monitoring Programme, shows the most severe contamination at a sewage discharge point in Aluva. Samples taken there revealed a staggering 70,000 MPN (most probable number) per 100 ml of total coliform. This figure is drastically higher than the CPCB’s maximum permissible limit of less than 2,500 MPN per 100 ml for bathing water.

Elevated coliform levels were also recorded at Eloor (ranging between 3,200 and 7,000 MPN/100 ml), Pathalam (5,400 MPN/100 ml in May), and Kalamassery (up to 5,800 MPN/100 ml).

This concerning report follows previous findings from the CPCB’s 2024 monitoring program, which indicated that all 13 monitoring stations along the Periyar River in Idukki, Thrissur, and Ernakulam districts failed to meet primary water quality criteria for outdoor bathing. Those failures stemmed from parameters, including dissolved oxygen, pH levels, biochemical oxygen demand, faecal coliform, and faecal streptococci, according to the CPCB findings.

These latest findings raise serious concerns about public health and the ecological integrity of the Periyar River, a vital water source for the region. Authorities are expected to respond to the report with measures to address the sources of contamination and improve water quality.

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