AIZAWL: Amid heavy rainfall, five districts in Mizoram are facing an acute water shortage due to landslides and soil erosion that have severely disrupted water supply systems.
The Mizoram Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department reported that the turbidity level—an indicator of how cloudy or dirty the water is—has surged to an alarming 864 NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units), far exceeding the safe limit of 5 NTU required for effective water treatment.
Officials said River Tlawng, which serves as Aizawl’s main water source, is heavily contaminated due to runoff from landslides triggered by the recent rains. This has forced the department to halt operations until conditions improve.
“If the rain continues, we may only be able to resume water supply operations in the next three days,” a PHE official said.
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Due to rapidly depleting reserves and compromised primary sources, the PHE department has issued emergency notices in five districts—Aizawl, Lunglei, Siaha, Mamit, and Champhai—urging residents to strictly conserve water. The notice calls for an immediate halt to non-essential water use such as bathing, irrigation, dishwashing, and commercial consumption.
Authorities warned that without public cooperation, the water crisis could worsen before any improvements are possible. They are hopeful that normal water supply operations may resume by the end of the week, depending on weather conditions.
{{/usCountry}}Authorities warned that without public cooperation, the water crisis could worsen before any improvements are possible. They are hopeful that normal water supply operations may resume by the end of the week, depending on weather conditions.
{{/usCountry}}Officials said that the root of the crisis lies in excessive rainfall, which led to landslides that contaminated key water sources across the state.