Even as number of diarrhoea cases appeared to be on the rise in the city, residents fear that supply of muddy water over the last few days could be the reason.
Though there were complaints of supply of muddy and discoloured water in areas covered by the augmented drinking water supply scheme from the Coleroon River in the recent past, complaints of supply of muddy water have surfaced in the erstwhile Tiruchi Municipality areas that get water from the main pumping station at Kambarasampettai situated on the Cauvery river.
A resident of State Bank Officers’ Colony in Cantonment complained that the Corporation water at her household has been muddy for the past couple of days. But, she did not have an alternative given the short supply of water. She had to wait for an hour to allow the impurities to settle at the bottom of the vessel.
“I do not know whether the water was contaminated or not. However, as a precaution, I had to boil it before using for drinking,” she also said.
Apart from the Coleroon River water supplied areas, similar issue was noticed in Bheema Nagar and a few other areas too, causing rise in number of diarrhoea cases.
Enquiries revealed that 54 diarrhoea cases were reported in the city during last week.
‘No outbreak’
However, a senior health official said that an analysis of incidence of diarrhoea revealed that it was only sporadic and could not be termed as an outbreak. It was not alarming, the official added.
However, a doctor at the K.A.P. Viswanatham Medical College said that many patients were affected with water-borne diseases, mainly diarrhoea in Bheema Nagar and a few others.
It could be due to water contamination.
N. Ravichandran, Special Officer-cum-Commissioner, said high-level of iron content in water had been reported in a few areas supplied with water from the Coleroon water scheme.
Steps have been taken to check the issue. He had instructed the officials to inspect the quality of water supplied from Kambarasampettai pumping station. Appropriate action would be taken if there was any problem, he said.
