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Mumbai: As Mumbai is consistently recording good amount of rainfall since the start of monsoon, this season has also brought back the issue of contaminated water for Mumbaikars. In various localities spread across the city, people are complaining of receiving contaminated water in their homes leading to various health issues.
Along with potholes, flooding and commuting issues for Mumbai, the monsoon season also brings water contamination issue back for Mumbaikars. Every year during rains, people from many parts of the city complain of receiving unclean water in their house taps but this year the issue is very severe as the complains are being recorded from across the city and some have continued for as long as two months.
The major complaints received are from ward T, K/West, H/East and R/Central where the issue had started from before monsoon and since the rains started, it has just got worse. Residential societies in Mulund (W) have been receiving muddy water since almost a month and the residents claim that they are facing this situation in monsoon for the third consecutive year. The residents also said that the impurity in the water is so high that the water filters installed on the bathroom taps also fail to work and the muddy colour doesn’t change.
Rupal Bhoir, a resident of Tirumala Heights on Balrajeshwar Road, said, “The water is so contaminated that when we use alum to collect dirt from it, it makes layers and layers of dirt. Last week the situation got better than the previous three weeks but now again the impurity has increased. I have senior citizens and infants in my family and we are continuously worried about water-borne diseases.”
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While the residents of Mulund have been facing the issue for a month, it had started over two months ago in Bandra (E). On May 20, The Free Press Journal had reported about the complaint of contaminated water received by the residents of Kala Nagar. However, even after over two months, the issue hasn’t been solved completely. The residents said that although the situation is better than May but the water is bot completely clean as it is yellowish coloured. Residents continue to consume boiled water to save themselves from vomiting and loose motions which they had deferred from in May.
On the other hand well-off localities like Juhu also faces the same issue. Various parts of Juhu Vile Parle Development (JVPD) scheme had been receiving muddy water for over a month. Although the issue has been resolved in JVPD, Juhu Koliwada and nearby slums still suffer from the issue. Sunil Kanaujia, a resident of Juhu, said, “Previously the issue pertained to entire Juhu area but then the BMC changed a lot of faulty valves and pipes after which we have are not receiving such muddy water. However, Koliwada is still suffering from the issue as a lot of water pipelines pass from around sewers which causes contamination.”
The issue of water contamination has spread as far as Gorai village which is also facing the issue since a month. Gorai Villagers Welfare Association said that they have been receiving contaminated water after a pipeline was broken by a civic contractor undertaking road repair. The residents also added that the contamination has led to gastroenteritis, stomach infections and other water-related ailments.
Switsy Henriques, president of Gorai Villagers Welfare Association said, “The issue has started from June 27 after there was a leakage in valve. Whenever it rained, we received muddy water in our homes. The BMC has said that they have fixed the issue yesterday but then there is no electricity for the last 24 hours to turn on the water pumping motor and check the quality of water.”
