Stinking, polluted water in taps angers Mylapore residents

M Kumar, a resident who has repeatedly complained to the area engineer of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB), said the water was unfit for consumption. 

“We have been facing this problem for the past one year. Every time we make a complaint, the officials do a quick fix. The water quality is fine for a while but then, the contaminated water is back again. On the same day that the officials took the water samples for testing, we had it tested independently. The test results showed the presence of free ammonia at 1.41 mg/litre, which is way above the permissible levels of 0.5 mg/ litre. This shows that sewage water is getting mixed in the drinking water supply. Around 25 houses in the area have been affected,” said this resident. 

He added that the affected families had to rely on buying water for drinking and cooking purposes. “The water has a foul smell and we cannot even use it to bathe. We only use that water in the bathrooms and lavatory. In my apartment complex, most homes have resorted to buying water for their supplies. On seeing the colour of the water, many people are hesitant to use it. I think this problem is due to maintenance work undertaken near our apartment, causing the sewerage and drinking water lines to mix,” said Muniswamy, another resident who has been living in the area for the past two decades. 

Rajesh, a 48-year-old painter, said the water quality varies from time to time. “Till 9 am in the morning, the quality is okay. But after that, the water becomes smelly. We don’t really know why this is happening. But the colour and smell indicate that the sewage water has mixed with the drinking water supply,” he added. 

An official from the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) said regular tests have been conducted. “We have tested the water samples in our lab on two previous occasions recently and the quality was found to be good. We will also be going to the spot again on Tuesday to check on this problem and also take fresh samples for further testing,” added the official. 

Dr S Elango, former director, Public Health Tamil Nadu and State President, India Public Health Association, said an increasing number of jaundice cases have been reported across the city hospitals. “People think it is due to excessive consumption of alcohol. But it could be due to a very basic factor – the contamination of the water we drink. Apart from jaundice, contaminated water can also cause intestinal infections like dysentery, diarrhoea, cholera, among others. People should be wary of the presence of ammonia or nitrates in drinking water. These are indications of contamination caused by sewage water. These infections are 100 percent preventable. People have to ensure the water they drink is safe,” he concluded.