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Damaged pipelines force residents in heart of UP capital to depend on bottled water
Lucknow residents suspect that leaking sewer lines running close to ageing water pipelines are contaminating the supply, especially during low-pressure hours
Over 200 households across Cantt Road, Murlinagar, Clay Square, Udaiganj and adjoining areas in the heart of the UP capital are receiving contaminated water and residents say they have no choice but to rely on bottled water even for basic needs even as the authorities fail to fix decades-old damaged pipelines.
Officials are carrying out temporary measures such as cleaning overhead tanks, which has done little to resolve the problem permanently, the residents claim. Earlier, this situation was witnessed in other areas, including Indira Nagar and Lalbagh. Burlington ward corporator Amit Chowdhary said he has repeatedly cautioned the authorities about the situation.
“For months, we have been writing letters to the water works department, Jal Nigam and other bodies concerned. People are suffering, yet no permanent groundwork has been done,” he said. Chowdhary added that officials act only after repeated complaints, and even then, the relief lasts just a few days before contaminated water returns to the taps.
Residents of Murlinagar shared photographs with Hindustan Times showing visibly dirty water flowing from household taps on Sunday, claiming this has become a routine occurrence. Many residents said the water smells foul and carries visible impurities, making it unfit for consumption.
Anuj Kumar Gupta, a resident of Murlinagar, said the problem affects the entire colony, not just a few households.
“Contaminated water is entering almost every home here. People have gathered multiple times to raise the issue, but nothing has changed,” he said.
Gupta alleged that several residents have started facing health-related problems, including stomach infections, after consuming the supplied water. Ashish Mishra, a resident of Clay Square near Udaiganj, said the crisis has persisted for over a year.
“Earlier, we received clean supply water and even had access to borewell water. Now, water comes for less than an hour, at no fixed time, and it is contaminated,” he said. Mishra added that household water purifiers stop functioning within two months due to poor water quality, pushing families to purchase drinking water from the market.
Mishra claimed that residents had earlier approached mayor Sushma Kharkwal with their grievances but their concerns are yet to be redressed. “The issue is not limited to water alone; the sewer system is also extremely old, increasing the risk of sewage mixing with water lines,” he said.
Residents suspect that leaking sewer lines running close to ageing water pipelines are contaminating the supply, especially during low-pressure hours. They have demanded an urgent survey of underground pipelines and a complete overhaul of the old water and sewer network.
When contacted, Jalkal general manager Kuldeep Singh denied the allegations. “These are baseless claims. There is no issue of contaminated water supply in these areas, and water is being supplied for a sufficient duration,” he said. Residents, however, warn that unless authorities take immediate corrective measures, the ongoing water crisis could escalate into a serious public health emergency in the heart of the state capital.
