by Kunal Chonkar, originally posted on July 6, 2016

Complaints of water contamination are on the rise in the city. According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), there were 40 complaints from June 15 to June 30, out of which only 11 were attended.

Gorai, Culvam Village, Borivli, Kandivli, Charkop, Samta Nagar and Lokhandwala Complex in the R-Central and R-South wards accounted for the maximum complaints.

“Corroded pipelines and sewage and water pipelines running parallel are one factor. Most complaints relate to foul smell, yellow-coloured, and, at times, water mixed with muck and dirt,” a civic official said.

Water contamination levels in 2013-14 and 2012-13 were 10.84% and 19%, respectively. From April 2015 to March 2016, the civic body collected water samples from all wards. Tests showed that 4.31% of the samples were unfit for consumption. This year, it is 3.87%.

Also last year, there was a surge in water samples with E. coli bacteria, that gives spreads water-borne diseases. Speaking to dna, a senior official from the hydraulic engineering department said that the contamination issue will be resolved soon, with the change of old pipelines.

He claimed that the department has started the process of mapping areas that require a change in lines. “About 300-plus pipe network connection is proposed in the city. The department is also converting multiple junctions into single lines as they are prone to punctures and contamination,” he explained.