Hold your breath! A recent study by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has dropped a shocking truth bomb: faecal contamination levels in Ernakulam’s Thevara-Perandoor (TP) and Edappally canals are so high they are 'too numerous to count' (TNC). This isn’t just a small problem—it’s a big alarm bell for the health of the water bodies. NEERI was asked by the Kerala State Pollution Control Board to check how sewage from homes is spoiling these canals. This step came after the National Green Tribunal ordered the government to act against the dirty trick of dumping untreated wastewater into these precious canals. The study found faecal coliform bacteria—tiny troublemakers that show how dirty the water really is—were at frightening levels. In the Thevara-Perandoor canal, half of the samples had faecal coliform levels so high that they were 'too numerous to count'. Other spots showed levels between 2,510 to 3,000 CFU (colony-forming units) per 100 ml. The Edappally canal also suffered, with TNC levels at one site and a wide range from 201 to 20,022 CFU per 100 ml in others. NEERI didn’t stop there—they also checked two other canals in Kollam, Patolithot and Valiyat. Here, the numbers were lower but still worrying, ranging up to 3,500 CFU/100 ml and 9,450 CFU/100 ml respectively. These tests were done in April 2024, and again in February and October this year, painting a grim picture of water health over time. The report clearly said the canals have become trash bins for stormwater and dirty sewage. Shockingly, there are either no sewage treatment plants or they are not enough to handle all the waste dumped into these waterways. The canals are now collectors of pollutants from many drains, turning them into polluted nightmares. NEERI’s big shout-out? "The pollution loads discharged into the canals need to be adequately treated in well-designed sewage treatment plants before being released into surface water," they warned. This means building and using proper treatment systems is not just a good idea—it’s a must to save the canals! In short, the water in Ernakulam’s canals is crying out for help, and the clock is ticking. Will the government act fast to clean up these lifelines? The health of countless people and the environment depend on it!