Sewage contamination in drinking water sparks health scare in Bengaluru, dozens of families hit: Report

The incident has reportedly occurred at the KSFC Layout in Lingarajapuram in Bengaluru, which falls under the North City Corporation limits.

The residents of the Lingarajapuram area in Bengaluru are grappling with severe anxiety and anger after sewage was found to have contaminated the drinking water supply, forcing several families to abandon tap water for more than a week.

With over 30 households affected in Bengaluru, locals demanded urgent action to prevent a public health emergency. (Mohammad Ponir Hossain / Reuters)

The incident has reportedly occurred at the KSFC Layout in Lingarajapuram, which falls under the North City Corporation limits. Around 30 to 40 households have shifted to privately sourced water amid fears of a large-scale public health emergency.

Locals say the problem has been brewing for months, with repeated bouts of illness affecting families in the area, The Times of India reported.

Several residents reported symptoms such as stomach infections, vomiting and diarrhoea, with some cases serious enough to require hospital treatment. The situation became alarming this week when residents noticed strong odours and unusual froth in the water supply.

People living along 3rd ‘B’ Main said concerns escalated after underground sumps were opened for cleaning, revealing thick layers of dark, foul-smelling sludge. A resident told the publication that raw sewage had settled at the bottom, and added that similar conditions were reported across multiple homes on the same street.

Many residents said early warning signs were missed, as the initial illnesses were mistaken for seasonal ailments or food-related problems. Another local resident said the quality of water steadily deteriorated over time.

Following repeated complaints, officials from the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) inspected the area over the weekend and confirmed that sewage had entered the drinking water pipeline at some point. However, residents alleged that the exact location of the leak has not yet been identified, with officials digging up multiple stretches in what they described as a hit-or-miss approach.

While the confirmed contamination is believed to have impacted over 30 houses along one lane, residents fear that the problem could be more widespread. Doctors treating affected individuals reportedly told families that the symptoms were consistent with water-borne bacterial infections.

With no alternative water supply arranged so far, residents have turned to private tankers and packaged drinking water. The situation has also brought additional financial strain.

Residents have urged BWSSB to urgently locate the source of contamination, disinfect the pipelines and restore a safe and reliable water supply before the situation escalates into a major health crisis.

This development comes against the backdrop of a severe public health crisis in Indore, where contaminated drinking water has killed at least 10. At present, 142 people are undergoing treatment in hospitals, including 11 patients in intensive care units. Bhagirathpura is the area identified as the epicentre of the outbreak.

A similar situation has emerged recently in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar, where heightened surveillance and emergency response measures have been put in place after 102 people, most of them children, were hospitalised over the past two days. Authorities have linked the illnesses to drinking water contamination.

HT.com has not independently verified the authenticity of this information.