In the wake of increased numbers of hepatitis A, typhoid and other diarrhoeal diseases getting reported in the district, the Health authorities have raised concerns about the quality of water available to the people.
As the water supplied by Kerala Water Authority fails to meet the needs of more than half the demand here, the suppliers of water tankers have become a steady source for many to meet their water needs.
With 350 water tanker lorries plying in the district carrying so-called potable water to their destination, the quality of the water transported had come to be suspect in a couple of raids that were conducted in the city by the district health officer P. N. Sreenivasan.
There are certain norms to be followed to keep the quality of the water, he said. The quality of the source from where the tanker lorries source their water and the potable quality of water that needs to be ensured by proper chlorination. Giving little importance to the quality, the water tankers were found transporting water that contained e.coli bacteria, which indicated the presence of faecal matter.
The District Administration and the Health authorities are looking for implementing stricter norms for those supplying water and also those who provide sanitation services like septic tank cleaning. There are about 60 tankers that are part of the septic tank cleaning services. Though the service is essential in the district that has very minimal sewerage system, the disposing of septic tank wastage has been a problem.
The tankers should ideally be emptied into a place that does not harm the environment, especially where people are living.
