Sewage leak and a 30-year-old pipeline: What led to mass water contamination in India’s 'cleanest city' Indore?

MOre than a hebdomad after residents of Bhagirathpura, Indore, drop badly, tests feature confirmed that the locality’s pink water was heavily contaminated with multiple harmful microbes. Water samples collected revealed the presence of E. Coli, Salmonella, Vibrio cholerae, as well as viruses, fungi, and protozoa, officials said. These pathogens caused polymicrobial infections, resulting in multi-organ failure and sepsis among affected residents.Residents have claimed that 15 people have died due to a vomiting-diarrhoea outbreak caused by contaminated drinking water in Bhagirathpura over the last few days. The health department, however, has not confirmed the claim and said only four deaths have occurred.Also read| Born after 10-year wait, infant in Indore dies from milk prepared with municipal waterLocals have blamed authorities for ignoring repeated complaints about foul-smelling water in the congested neighbourhood over several months.Indore has been consistently ranked as India's cleanest city for multiple years, including the latest 2024-25 results, under the central government's Swachh Survekshan or Cleanliness Survey.What led to mass water contamination?Investigations revealed that one source of contamination was raw sewage leaking from a toilet at the Bhagirathpura police outpost, which lacked a septic tank. Authorities also reported multiple breaches in a 30-year-old water pipeline, allowing untreated human waste to mix with the drinking water supplied to nearly 50,000 residents. The city now faces a serious public health crisis, earlier HT reported.Samples have now been sent for chemical testing as well, Khade said, to identify the presence of any other toxic chemicals. Doctors and experts, however, criticised the delay in testing, saying the lag likely contributed to deaths as polymicrobial infections require rapid pathogen identification for targeted treatment.Also read| Salmonella to E Coli: Lethal mix found in Indore’s drinking water after deadly outbreakAmid the outrage and opposition's attack, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav said he had ordered strict action against erring civic officials and the Additional Commissioner from Indore and the Superintending Engineer in-charge.In a post on X, he wrote, “…I issued directions to the Indore Municipal Corporation Commissioner and Additional Commissioner to issue a show-cause notice in this regard, to immediately remove the Additional Commissioner from Indore, and to relieve the In-Charge Superintending Engineer of the charge of the Water Distribution Works Department. I also issued directions to immediately fill the necessary positions in the Indore Municipal Corporation with effect from now.”Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) of Indore, Madhav Prasad Hasani, said senior doctors and district administration officials were closely monitoring the situation to ensure proper treatment of affected patients.Currently, senior doctors and district administration officials are continuously monitoring the situation at the hospitals and ensuring that proper treatment is being provided to the patients. I am going to the hearing of a case regarding this contaminated water issue, and I will give further details later. Till now, as per records, four deaths occurred, though we will revise and update if we receive additional data and evidence in this regard,” Hasani told ANI.