Pipeline damaged during metro work: Churchgate resident, citing lab test, says water unfit to drink

After a water pipeline in Churchgate was damaged during Metro 3 work, a resident has alleged that a bacteriological analysis of the water shows it to be unfit for human consumption. Four members of his household have fallen sick with stomach infection in the last month. Ashwin Nagpal, a resident of Moti Mahal at Churchgate, said, “After my father, two staff and I fell ill this month. I gave a sample of boiled water for testing at Metropolis lab on September 21. The test result reveals the water is unfit for human consumption.”

While carrying out piling work for Metro 3’s Churchgate station on August 24, sewage water entered the water supply pipeline. The contractor, L&T, cleaned the tanks and provided the residents with mineral water supply. “However, on September 11 they told us the water is now fit for consumption and they will not be supplying mineral water any longer. We all fell sick after that,” added Nagpal.

Nagpal has spoken to the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC), their contractor and the water supply department of the BMC and demanded they provide him a certificate declaring the water fit for consumption. “The incident has been brought to our notice. The matter is getting examined to understand the cause of the problem. Temporarily, alternative supply of clean drinking water is being ensured and attempts are on to get the issue resolved with the help of BMC,” said an MMRC spokesperson.

However, according to the BMC, Nagpal has not followed protocol for testing the water and that could be the reason for the result. “The water has to be collected in a sterilised bottle and given for testing immediately in an ice pack. They have told me they gave it for testing in a plastic bottle 24 hours after it was collected. So we will be taking the sample again and give it for testing to our lab. Since they have raised suspicion, we will also monitor the water,” said a senior BMC official from the hydraulic engineering department.

“If that was the case the lab would have told us. However, we will wait for them to test the water and we will also recheck by following their protocol,” Nagpal contended.