Kerala will introduce a comprehensive water policy in early 2027 as part of a sweeping reform of its drinking water and irrigation sectors, Water Resources Minister Mons Joseph announced on Monday, 2 November 2026, in Thiruvananthapuram. The policy aims to bring multiple departments under a unified Water Resources Department framework, making the Kerala Water Authority and allied agencies more efficient and citizen-friendly.

Kerala Water Conclave and Policy Rollout

A Kerala Water Conclave will be held in Thiruvananthapuram during the first week of December 2026, where domain experts will deliberate on the proposed policy before its formal rollout. The conclave is intended to gather technical and community-level inputs ahead of the early-2027 announcement.

The government will simultaneously launch a pilot project in Thiruvananthapuram to tackle water loss during distribution. According to the minister, nearly half the water pumped from Aruvikkara is lost before reaching consumers — a systemic inefficiency the state plans to address using new leak-detection technology. A successful pilot will pave the way for a statewide rollout.

MLA-Led Committees and Governance Structure

From January 2027, committees headed by Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) will be constituted in all 140 Assembly constituencies to resolve local drinking water and irrigation problems. Members will include local body representatives and officials from the Water Authority, Public Works Department (PWD), and Local Self-Government Department.

The committees will convene every month, while district-level reviews will be conducted every three months under district Collectors. The minister will personally review their progress every six months, establishing a clear accountability chain from the grassroots to the ministerial level.

Mullaperiyar Dam: Supreme Court Petition and Safety Review

On the long-running Mullaperiyar dam dispute, Kerala will file a special petition in the Supreme Court seeking implementation of the court's 2024 verdict, which permitted a detailed safety inspection of the dam. Senior advocate Mohan V. Kattarki has been appointed as the state's lead counsel for the petition.

The state will also seek the Centre's intervention to resolve its ongoing dispute with Tamil Nadu over the dam. Separately, a safety assessment of 22 dams under the Irrigation Department and the Water Authority is to be completed by 31 December 2026.

Coastal Protection, Seawater Desalination and Jal Jeevan Mission

The government is considering plants to convert seawater into drinking water in coastal areas — a move that could provide a long-term supply buffer for the state's extensive coastline. A ₹4,000 crore coastal protection project, to be implemented with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), has also been announced. Beyond the already-identified hotspots of Chellanam and Pozhiyoor, 10 additional major coastal hotspots have been earmarked.

On the Jal Jeevan Mission, the state is accelerating project execution and will hold talks with the Union Jal Shakti Ministry to recover nearly ₹8,000 crore in dues from the Centre. A ₹7,000 crore NABARD loan has already been used to clear a significant portion of outstanding dues to contractors.

A master plan will be drawn up to provide a lasting solution to drinking water shortages in Thiruvananthapuram city, Kazhakkoottam, and Technocity, with the government aiming to complete it within the current term.

Other Key Measures

A committee has been formed to study the severe growth of water weeds in Kuttanad and Upper Kuttanad, including examination of foreign technologies to process the weeds into useful products. The government has also revised the road-repair protocol after water-pipe laying: the PWD will restore state roads, local bodies will handle village and panchayat roads, and the Water Authority will transfer the requisite funds to the respective agencies.

The closed Malampuzha garden will be renovated and reopened, while dam sites and canals are to be developed as tourist destinations. Guest houses and inspection bungalows under the Water Authority and Irrigation Department will be renovated and may be opened to the public at reasonable rates. The department also plans to map all its land within six months and take action against encroachments.

With the conclave set for December and MLA committees expected by January, Kerala's water reform agenda is on a tight implementation clock — and how quickly the state can turn announcements into infrastructure will define the policy's real-world impact.