Drinking water contaminated?

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To stay away from water-borne disease, most of the residents of Okhla, including Jamia Nagar, avoid drinking groundwater as it is salty. The common perception is that tap water supplied by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) is pure and hence many a time residents demand for it.

And a few days ago when a water pipeline was laid near Khaliullah Mosque, Batla House, by local MLA Asif Md Khan, residents heaved a sigh of relief that now at least their over dependence on groundwater will be over. Also, they would get pure water to drink.

But residents will be for a shock as drinking water has been found to be contaminated. A test conducted by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) found that water supplied by DJB is not pure being mixed with sewage water. Some 116 samples of such water were taken and out of it 81 was found to be impure.

After coming to know about the fact, a large number of Delhiites were left shocked.

Batla House resident Fadia Khanam said for long time we were apprehensive about the purity of the water. “Now with the MCD health department report establishing this fact, it is government’s duty to address the issue. We drink water in summer to stay hydrated, but what if the water is not pure.”

A year ago, a group of residents had also met local MP Sandeep Dikshit, complaining about sewage water seeping into pipes supplying potable water.

With 60 per cent Delhiites consuming DJB water, the worst hit areas include Green Park, Hauz Khas, South Extension, Safdarjung Enclave, Greater Kailash and Narela. The situation in Lajpat Nagar, New Friends Colony and Maharani Bagh too is disturbing.

However, the DJB is yet to get convinced about the water tests conducted by the MCD.

Claiming that the report was not received by it, DJB spokesperson Sanjam Cheema told India Today: “The DJB takes 400 random samples from different places in the Capital daily. We have our own mechanisms in place to ensure that the people get good quality of water.”

But Dr Monga accepted the fact that the department was informed by the MCD about leakages in water pipelines at around 1,000 spots.

In Delhi sewage and water pipelines are laid next to each other and in monsoon chances are high of sewage water seeping into water pipelines if something goes wrong.