Mumbai: Residents of a housing society in Bandra have fallen ill after consuming contaminated water supplied by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Many residents in BMC's H West ward, including those on Kantwadi Road, Convent Road, Perry Cross Road and Saint Cyril Road near Pali Hill, are facing similar issues. After suspecting the water quality, the residents decided to have it tested.
The test results, released on Friday, revealed that the water had turned yellow from violet, indicating it was not potable. The presence of coliform bacteria was also detected. Some residents suspect that ongoing construction or errors at construction sites may have damaged the pipeline, leading to the contamination. The incident particularly concerns the seven-storey Dharamjyot-2 building on New Kantwadi Road, where ten houses received contaminated water from BMC.
Sapna Sawant, a resident of New Kantwadi Road in Bandra, said, "In my building, 10 houses have been receiving dirty water for the past month. Neighboring buildings are also getting stinking water. I received calls from Convent Road, near Bandra Gymkhana, about similar complaints. In two bungalows in our area, residents have been getting bad water since May 8. The water supply from BMC's pipeline is obviously not potable. We had it tested independently and by BMC's water department. As residents, we have suffered greatly with all the roads dug up simultaneously across the suburbs. Every lane in Bandra is dug up! This is the first time we're facing so much construction at once. We definitely suspect the contaminated water is linked to a mistake at a construction site, possibly damaging a pipe. We thought there would be light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s just gotten worse with the basic civic amenity now being unpotable! We are all drinking and cooking with mineral water. Everyone in my family was unwell, and my condition was getting worse."
Amit Shukla, another resident of Perry Cross Road in Bandra, said, "Last week, we received bad water. In our house, we use a water filter and still boil the water before drinking, yet despite boiling, we could smell the water—it was very bad. Fortunately, nobody in our building has fallen ill, but we did notice the smell. We thought it might be due to tank cleaning. The road from Pali Hill is under repair, but we're not sure of the exact reason. Construction may be causing this."
Residents of a housing society in Bandra, have been dealing with health issues, including stomach pain, for the past week. After discussing the situation with their neighbors, the residents suspected a problem with the water supply. They decided to have the water quality tested and contacted an external organization. The report's conclusion that the water is contaminated and unsafe to drink was the residents' worst nightmare.
Former corporator of H West ward 101, Asif Ahmed Zakaria, representing the Indian National Congress, said, "Due to some roadwork, this issue has come up. We have complained to BMC, and they are looking into the source of this problem. As of now, they are still searching for it. Many areas of Bandra West are facing this issue, including Kantwadi Road, Convent Road, Perry Cross Road and Saint Cyril Road. Complaints have been attended to by BMC, and we are now waiting for BMC to find the cause and resolve it."
According to the test report released on Friday, the incident involves the seven-storey Dharamjyot-2 building on New Kantwadi Road, which receives water from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The results indicated that the water had turned yellow from violet and was not safe to drink, "The water is not potable, Coliform bacteria were found", stated the report.
Residents reported that despite lodging complaints with BMC, ward officials are not prioritizing the issue due to their engagement with election duties. Sawant remarked, "We appreciate BMC's response, but a solution has not been forthcoming. The responsibility now falls on us to replace all our water inlet valves with T valves, drain the first 10 minutes of water from the BMC supply outlet, and then fill the underground tanks. The estimates we received from plumbers range from 28,500 to 35,000 rupees."
An official from BMC's H-West ward waterworks department stated, "We are investigating the contamination issue and working on a fix. It should be resolved in the next few days."
