Watch out, there could be sewage in your tap water

A joint inspection by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi Jal Board has found that of the 200 areas surveyed by them 67 major water pipelines had micro cracks and were being contaminated by sewage as the lines cross each other. Neelam Pandey reports. Unsafe network

Your tap water may be unsafe - even if it is filtered - an official survey has revealed. A joint inspection by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi Jal Board has found that of the 200 areas surveyed by them 67 major water pipelines had micro cracks and were being contaminated by sewage as the lines cross each other.

Ajay-Vir-Singh-with-the-water-supplied-to-his-South-Ex-I-home

The findings of the report have been sent to the Delhi government for action. MCD officials said the DJB has fixed only six pipelines so far.

"The government says people should only consume water supplied by the DJB, but they need to specify that the water should be drunk only after it's boiled for at least 20 minutes," said VK Monga, chairman of the MCD's public health committee.

"Though we have been pressing the DJB to correct the 67 affected pipelines, they have taken action on only six. This is a matter of grave concern," he said.

A senior DJB official who didn't want to be named said they are enquiring into the matter.

"If some pipelines have been reported to have leakages, we will repair them," he said.

Officials also pointed out that the pipelines are quite old - some as old as 100 years, like those in Chandni Chowk - and have rusted, leading to major leakages.

Many residential colonies in the city have been getting contaminated water, causing water-borne diseases over the past month.

Areas such as Lajpat Nagar, South Extension, Sarita Vihar, Krishna Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Geeta Colony, IP Extension, Pandav Nagar and Dwarka are among the worst-hit.

"Apart from other viral infections, Hepatitis E, which is transmitted through the faecal-oral route, is common in this season because of the contaminated water supply. I have been getting about five such cases a week these days," said Dr Rommel Tickoo, senior consultant, department of internal medicine, Max Hospital.

South Extension resident Aditya Singh said, "We wrote a comprehensive letter to all the officials of the main and local DJB offices but so far nobody has bothered to contact us. The moment the taps are turned on, a peculiar smell emanates from the water, which is yellowish or brownish."