Hyderabad: The primary source of pollution in drinking water are galvanised iron half-inch pipes that more than 50 per cent of consumers have installed, according to the Metro Water Board.
The life of these GA pipelines is six years at best, after which they rust and develop holes. Polluted water from stormwater drains running nearby then enters these perforated pipes, contaminating the water.
Officials say as the pollution is at the supply end and not at the source, it is the responsibility of the consumers to change their old supply lines. It costs around Rs 3,000 and can be done by any plumber. Consumers should opt for high density plastic pipes (HDP), they say.
KPHB 4th phase resident Malli Srigiri complained, “For the past 15 days the water here has had a smell. I assume the water is mixed with sewerage.” Ms Swetha Mamba of Jambagh, Gowliguda said, “We just can’t use the water to drink. It’s been two months of this.” The rains have also been responsible for bad water seeping into these old connections.
Also, in Hyderabad, most water connections run parallel to sewerage lines and there are chances of water supply getting contaminated. Residents must adopt HDP, officials said.
Water board’s tests are not proactive
The Water Board does not proactively test for contamination unless there is a complaint. Apart from the Water Board, the Institute of Preventive Medicine and the Indian Health Standard conduct water sampling.
IPM is a toothless body and takes days to announce results. Water is checked for chlorination, and tests are done only after complaints are raised.
Also, it takes 15 days for the water tests to be made public.
