Parel, Dadar, Matunga, Colaba, Churchgate, Mantralaya, Cuffe Parade, – these are some of the areas where most contaminated water was supplied since the onset of monsoon. Despite some of these areas house high profile government offices, they did not get clean and potable water.
A report prepared by the Hydraulic engineering department of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) of water supplied in June 2018 indicated that sewage water got mixed with drinking water pipelines in some areas. Routine lab test of water supplied in the city had presence of E-Coli. Presence of E Coli causes health issues like diarrhoea, gastroenteritis and typhoid.
The Hydraulic engineering department collected 3,086 water samples from 24 wards and found that 53 samples was unfit while 14 of them were having contamination of E-coli. "Of the total water sample, only 1.72% water was unfit while only 0.45% was having presence of E-coli," said an official from the department. He added that water pipeline develops leakage during monsoon and sewage water mixed with potable water.
Of around 104 water samples collected from Parel, Dadar, Sion and Matunga in F North ward, it was found that around 10.58 per cent were unfit while 3.85 per cent water samples had presence of E-Coli.
However, presence of E-coli was maximum in Mulund under BMC's T ward. Lab test of a sample size of 97 showed contamination in 4 samples. All water samples had E Coli. Dr Sanjay Surase, medical superintendent of JJ Hospital, said, "Citizens should avoid consuming street food and ice water. Maintaining hygiene will reduce the spread of E coli."
