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Muddy water from taps worries residents

Staff Reporter

Officials accused of not taking action despite complaints

— Photo: Lingaraj Panda

HEALTH HAZARD: A resident of Dalua Street showing the contaminated water that comes through a tap in Berhampur.

BERHAMPUR: Murky water, which is almost translucent black in colour and coming out of drinking water taps, has worried inhabitants in some areas of perennially water scarce city of Berhampur.

Since last four days the inhabitants of Dalua Street of the city have been facing this problem. The colour of drinking water supplied through pipelines to houses in this area is usually muddy or black in colour for first half an hour of supply, says Laba Dalei, a resident of the area.

Crack in pipeline

At around 8 a.m. blackish water was seen coming out of the tap at the house of Sarat Panda. The inhabitants complain that although they brought it to the notice of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) officials, no measures have been taken to solve the problem.

Mr. Panda alleges that due to some crack in the pipeline to their area drain, water is seeping into the water pipes when water is not supplied through them. When drinking water is supplied during the first phase, people are getting drain water.

When contacted, PHED executive engineer Devasundar Mohapatra said immediate action would be taken to plug the leakage in the drinking water supply pipeline. He has also visited the area and took samples of water collected from the taps at houses at Dalua Street for testing. Mr. Mohapatra asked citizens of the city to contact him directly immediately if they find impurities in the water supplied to their locality.

Repairs

He has also said that steps are being taken to replace the corroded drinking water pipelines through which drain water is alleged to be seeping in to mix with drinking water supply. Pipelines at Gate Bazar and adjoining areas have been repaired recently following complaints regarding supply of contaminated water.

Recent outbreak of jaundice cases at Babaji Tota street and Radha Krushna street is being attributed to consumption of drinking water supplied through pipelines that had got contaminated.

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