High prevalence of contaminated water supply in Bengaluru, finds BBMP

The quest of clean drinking water supply in the metros and cities of this country by the utilities remain a distant dream. In the case at hand, The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palika (BBMP) has carried out water testing in which almost 10% of the samples were found contaminated. This water is not fit for human consumption and throws the BBMP consumers open to disease risks.

BBMP tested a total of 592 water samples. The water samples were taken from public sources in the month of June. This is a monthly surveillance activity that BBMP undertakes. The June results hold that 10% of the water samples were contaminated.

These water samples were collected from all 8-Zones. Contamination was detected in 59 of them. The highest number of water samples were taken from the South Zone and the most number of contaminated samples were also found in this zone only. The non-potable water samples found here were 31. BBMP found 12 samples contaminated from East Zone and 5 from West Zone besides others.

The matter of concern is that half of the samples were collected from public water sources. These are at very high risk of contamination. The rest half were taken from hotels, RO water centres etc. Only two outbreaks were reported by BBMP, but more people could be suffering from health issues caused by contaminated water supply.

The travesty is that public taps are located near drains. Water supply lines run with sewerage lines where sewage gets mixed with potable water. Often, flooded sewerage drains overflowing and intruding into Cauvery lines that are old plus worn-out. The natural water bodies like lakes, including the popular Belandur Lake, that supply most of the potable water to the needs of the city, has all types of pollution entering them.