E. Coli Found in Bhopal Groundwater, Use Banned in Three Areas
After Indore tragedy, civic body intensifies checks; contamination detected in four groundwater sources
- Groundwater in Khanugaon, Adampur Cantonment and Vajpayee Nagar found contaminated
- BMC bans use of groundwater in affected localities
- Treated piped water declared safe, citywide monitoring intensified
- Ageing pipeline network flagged as long-term risk
GG News Bureau
Bhopal, 8th Jan: Groundwater in several parts of Madhya Pradesh’s capital has tested positive for E. coli bacteria, raising fresh public health concerns in the wake of the deadly contaminated water outbreak in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area that claimed 20 lives.
Four groundwater samples collected from Khanugaon, Adampur Cantonment and Vajpayee Nagar failed quality tests, confirming bacterial contamination. Acting swiftly, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has prohibited the use of groundwater in the affected localities.
Civic officials clarified that the contamination is limited to groundwater sources and has not impacted the city’s treated and piped water supply. “The purpose of this exercise is not to create fear, but to ensure that our system remains foolproof. We are testing water from source to tap,” said Municipal Commissioner Sanskriti Jain.
Following the Indore tragedy, BMC has intensified surveillance and sampled water from over 1,500 locations across the city. Contamination was found at only four points, officials said. Supply lines in the affected areas have already been replaced or diverted to ensure safe water supply.
Water from major sources including the Narmada, Kolar, Upper Lake (Bada Talab) and Kerwa is being treated at filtration plants and retested at household levels. As an added precaution, even 264 non-operational tube wells have been tested.
E. coli presence in water indicates sewage or organic waste contamination and can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhoea, vomiting and life-threatening complications if untreated.
Officials, however, flagged long-term infrastructure challenges. In 22 wards, nearly 400 km of water pipelines run alongside sewer lines, affecting around five lakh residents in areas such as Navibagh and the Govindpura Industrial Area. Many ageing iron pipelines are prone to leaks, allowing sewage seepage into water lines.
Replacing the deteriorating network is estimated to cost ₹500 crore. Around 75,000 of the city’s 2.71 lakh tap connections require replacement. Under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme, work is underway to lay 750 km of new pipelines to mitigate future risks.
