‘Keep storage tanks clean to prevent water contamination’

The Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) has issued a few precautions to prevent water contamination.

According to the organisation, most Mysoreans receive water from the Kaveri and Kabini.

The water is chlorinated and pumped into large reservoirs such as the Yadavagiri High-Level Reservoir and Vijayanagar Central Storage Reservoir. From there, it is pumped into overhead tanks all over Mysore. These overhead tanks supply water to the consumers.

Many consumers also have sumps and overhead tanks in their houses to store water. As a result, water passes through at least three levels of storage before it reaches the tap of the consumer.

“If proper precautions are not taken, water can get contaminated at each level of storage. The storage tanks have to be cleaned at least twice a year with liberal use of bleaching powder to check accumulation of sediment and slime (algae). No sunlight should be permitted to enter the tanks as in the presence of sediment and sunlight, algae grows vigorously. This promotes the growth of dangerous bacteria,” said A. Ramalingam of the MGP.

Despite this necessity, reservoirs and overhead tanks of Vani Vilas Water Works (VVWW) were rarely cleaned, he claimed.

However, residents could keep their sumps and overhead tanks clean and sunlight-proof. Black plastic sheets could be used to cover the lids of the sumps and overhead tanks to keep out sunlight, Prof. Ramalingam added.