Hyderabad: City dwellers raise a stink over supply of contaminated water

Hyderabad: Instances of drinking water contamination, especially in the southern and northern parts of the city, have become a major concern for the locals. They have alleged that the issue has not been rectified despite raising complaints on the official website of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB). As a result, many waterborne diseases have been reported.

The locals pointed out that one of the reasons for the water contamination is the lack of an integrated drainage network. Continuous overflow of sewage water sometimes leads to sewage mixing with drinking water. The areas where contaminated water has been reported include Jeedimetla, Mehdipatnam, Neredmet, Nampally, Towlichowki, Yakutpura, RK Puram, Rasoolpura, Gun Bazar, and Malkajgiri.

“For the past few days, we have been receiving dirty water, and a strange smell is emanating from it. Despite bringing this to the attention of the Water Board, the issue has not been rectified,” said Bina Rao, a resident of Nampally.

“Many lanes in RK Puram have turned into cesspools due to the overflow of sewage water and the leakage of drinking water pipelines. This is due to the negligence of HMWSSB in not laying new pipelines, causing drinking water to mix with sewage water. The locals here are unable to consume the water. If this continues, many areas will soon face an acute shortage of water,” said Robin, a resident of RK Puram.

“The drinking water issue has become a never-ending problem in Rasoolpura. Not only are we receiving an irregular water supply once every five days, but the quality of the water is also very bad. Sometimes, we receive blackish water that is neither potable nor suitable for domestic purposes. Because of this, we are forced to buy water cans. We are vexed with complaining to the concerned officials about this perennial issue, as they always say it is not contaminated water but merely muddy water. However, the reality is that it is not just muddy water, as sometimes a strange smell emanates from it,” said Nayeem Pasha, a resident of Rasoolpura.