‘This should serve as a wake-up call’: Docs on water testing after HT report

Delhi doctors warn of severe health risks from contaminated water, especially for vulnerable groups, amid rising cases of water-borne diseases.

Doctors and public health experts in Delhi stressed that contaminated drinking water can have severe health consequences, particularly for children, the elderly and people with weakened immunity – groups that are most vulnerable to infections such as hepatitis, typhoid and acute diarrhoeal diseases.

Representational image. (Representational Image)

The warning comes a day after a Hindustan Times investigation found bacterial contamination in several household tap water samples collected from complaint-prone areas across the capital. Laboratory analysis of 18 samples found that eight contained either total coliform bacteria or E. coli – both indicators of possible faecal contamination in drinking water.

Health experts said that such contamination can directly translate into disease outbreaks if left unchecked.

“Water-borne infections are among the most common illnesses we see during the summer and monsoon months,” said Dr Sharad Malhotra, senior consultant and director of gastroenterology at Aakash Healthcare. “When drinking water becomes contaminated with bacteria, viruses or parasites, it can trigger a range of diseases – from acute diarrhoeal illnesses to typhoid and hepatitis.”

Malhotra said hospitals across the city have already begun witnessing a steady rise in such infections in recent years. “The high number of acute diarrhoeal disease cases itself is an indication that contaminated water is a significant concern. These infections mostly affect the digestive system and spread easily through unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation,” he said.

“Diseases like hepatitis A and hepatitis E can cause significant liver damage, while severe diarrhoea in children and the elderly can lead to life-threatening dehydration. Typhoid, if untreated, can also cause intestinal complications,” Malhotra said.

Official data suggests that such infections have been rising in Delhi in recent years.

Data shared by the Union health ministry in Parliament last month under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) shows that the Capital recorded tens of thousands of water-borne disease cases annually between 2021 and 2025. Acute diarrhoeal diseases (ADD) account for the bulk of infections, but hepatitis A, hepatitis E and typhoid have also shown sharp increases in recent years.

In 2024 alone, Delhi recorded 43,683 cases of acute diarrhoeal disease, 4,142 cases of hepatitis A, 436 cases of hepatitis E and 33,413 cases of typhoid. Cholera cases rose sharply to 387 that year, up from 87 in 2023. Leptospirosis cases stood at 574.

The surge followed a volatile pattern. In 2022, typhoid cases spiked dramatically from just 363 cases in 2021 to over 14,000. Hepatitis A cases jumped from 137 in 2021 to more than 1,300 the following year. Though some categories moderated in 2023, several diseases rose again in 2024, suggesting recurring outbreaks linked to sanitation and water safety.

Health specialists say such patterns often point to systemic problems in water and sanitation infrastructure.

“In many parts of Delhi, drinking water pipelines run very close to sewage drains. If there is a leak or pressure fluctuation in the pipeline network, sewage can seep into the drinking water line. This is why we often see clusters of infections emerging in particular neighbourhoods,” said Dr Amit Miglani, director of gastroenterology at Asian Hospital.

According to doctors, low-income neighbourhoods, unauthorised colonies and older parts of the city tend to be most vulnerable. These areas often rely on ageing pipelines or shared water sources. “Outbreaks of water-borne disease frequently occur in localised pockets where drainage systems are poor or waterlogging occurs,” Miglani said.

Doctors also warn that environmental conditions can accelerate the spread of infections.

“The rise in cases is a warning sign for all of us. Stagnant water, uncovered drains, and poor hygiene are giving mosquitoes the perfect breeding ground. Without strict precautions, the number of patients may continue to climb,” said Dr Prashant Sinha, head of emergency services at PSRI Hospital.

The trend, they stressed, is already visible. Dr Neha Sharma, a physician at Fortis Hospital in New Delhi, said that infections once considered seasonal are now appearing throughout the year. “Earlier we would see only one or two such cases outside the monsoon season. Now we are seeing three or four cases even during non-monsoon months,” she said.

Paediatricians said children are particularly vulnerable because dehydration can develop rapidly. “This data should be a wake-up call… A child with cholera or severe diarrhoea can deteriorate within hours if treatment is delayed. Awareness about symptoms and early medical care is critical,” said Dr Sourojit Gupta, senior consultant in paediatrics and neonatology at Maccure Hospital in Dwarka.

He emphasised that prevention remains the most effective protection. “Ensuring safe drinking water and proper sanitation is the most important step. At the household level, people should avoid consuming untreated water. If there is any doubt about water quality, it should be boiled before use,” Gupta said.

He also recommended vaccination against typhoid as a preventive measure, particularly for children and vulnerable groups.

“When sanitation systems fail, we aren’t just dealing with a local nuisance; we are witnessing the opening of a biological floodgate. The mechanism of a massive outbreak is a matter of scale and speed. In a clinical setting, we treat the individual, but contaminated water treats the entire population as a single host. Because water is used for everything from drinking to food preparation and basic hygiene, the exposure is constant and compounding. A breach in the water barrier transforms a manageable microbial presence into an exponential crisis. Within hours, emergency rooms can be overwhelmed by a ‘point-source’ epidemic that exhausts local resources before the source is even identified.” Dr Prashant Sinha, Head of emergency, PSRI hospital.