Hyderabad: Water samples in six city areas have failed bacteriological tests. The samples were taken from Gulshannagar, Taleemamlapur, Karwan, Jangam Basti, Gandhinagar, West Marredpally and Old Malle-pally.
Samples were tested from 135 locations in the city. Contaminated water can cause diarrhoea, cholera and gastroenteritis. Sources said the main reason for contamination was mixing of drinking water with flow from sewer lines that run parallel, or from stormwater drains.
The Institute of Preven-tive Medicine, Institute of Health Systems, and the Water Board’s Quality Assurance Test wing tested the 135 samples on May 21 and May 22. These tests were conducted after 2,932 samples passed the residual chlorine test.
When asked about the contaminants, QAT general manager R.V.S.S.S.N. Raju refused to comment on the issue and questioned about the sanctity of the report. However, officials said they would rectify the situation with immediate effect. Water Board’s director (operations) Azmeer Krishna said that he was unaware of the issue but would resolve it immediately.
He advised consumers to avoid collecting water from pit taps which are below the ground level and taps which were below sewer lines. “We advise people to avoid pit taps as we have observed water contamination in such taps,” he said. Besides this, residents in Sanjaynagar, Baghlingampally, have been complaining that they have been receiving contaminated for several days.
“We have never experienced this phenomenon before. The smell is unbearable,” said Baghlingampally resident B. Damodhar. “There is a big sump on the apartment premises. When the residents opened the taps, they were taken aback by a putrefying smell in the water,” he said. He said the residents had complained about damaged pipelines but the board officials had not visited the spot.
