Sewage contaminates tap water in Whitefield: Residents face health risks

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Residents of Borewell Road in Whitefield, Bengaluru Ward 110 faced a distressing situation as sewage contaminated their tap water on both Saturday and Tuesday mornings.

Normally reliant on Cauvery water, their primary water source on these days, residents were shocked to find their tap water reeking and blackish.

Upon realising the contamination, they immediately switched to tanker water and undertook the arduous task of cleaning and chlorinating their water tanks before refilling them.

The unexpected crisis left many residents in a state of uncertainty about the cause.

George, a homemaker with a family of 4 who lives in the street said, “We were supplied with gutter water by the BWSSB and it was disgusting. I thought it would be rectified after Saturday morning, but it happened again on Monday night/ Tuesday early morning.”

Despite being tax-paying citizens, George and her neighbours had to pay out of their pockets to get tanker water and pay for cleaning their water tanks.

Sandeep Anirudhan, founder of Namma Whitefield, provided insights into the possible reasons for the water contamination. He speculated that the issue might stem from leakages in the ageing and poorly maintained infrastructure.

Additionally, he pointed out that the drinking water pipes and sewage pipes are often laid in close proximity to each other in many parts of the area. This proximity poses a significant risk, as any damage or cracks in the pipes can lead to crosscontamination.

Anirudhan further explained the technical aspects of the problem. He noted that the pressure in sewage pipes is generally higher than that in drinking water pipes.

This pressure differential means that even minor breaches in the pipes can result in sewage water seeping into the drinking water system. Such contamination not only affects the water quality but also poses serious health risks to the residents.

"I was horrified when I saw the blackish water coming out of our taps," said Keshav, another resident of Borewell Road.

"We had no choice but to call for tanker water and clean our tanks thoroughly. We immediately closed the valve and completed to the BBMP’s Health Department, and pushed the inspectors to collect the sample for testing.”