30% water samples fail potability test in Muktsar

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, July 17

Groundwater and canal water in the district is not fit for drinking. Nearly 30 per cent samples of water collected from the district in the past six months have failed to clear the potability test.

The health department had taken 152 water samples till June end this year and 44 of these were not found fit for drinking. The samples were of groundwater, canal water and RO (reverse osmosis) water. These were taken from schools and other public and private places, including eateries.

Notably, Muktsar district is the worst affected when it comes to waterlogging, which is a perennial problem here. The level of salinity in groundwater is much higher than the neighbouring districts.

At some places, the total dissolved solids (TDS) content in water is quite higher than the permissible limit for human consumption.

For instance, groundwater at the new district jail in Bura Gujjar village here was tested in the end of 2016. It was found to be having TDS of 7,000 parts per million (ppm), which is much above the permissible limit of 500 to 2,000 ppm.

Sukhpal Singh, Chief Medical Officer, said, “When water samples fail portability test, our team informs the departments concerned to adopt corrective measures. In some cases, we recommend the change of water source as well.”

However, no detailed survey of water is done in Muktsar district till date. The health department mainly checks heavy metal (mainly fluoride), bacteria combination and chemicals in water.

Malkit Singh, District Education Officer (DEO), said, “If a water sample drawn from any school fails potability test, the health department informs us and we take corrective measures like installing RO plants or fetching clean water from private facilities.”

Canal water, RO water found unfit for drinking

• The health department had taken 152 water samples till June end this year and 44 of these were not found fit for drinking. 
• The samples were of groundwater, canal water and RO (reverse osmosis) water. These were taken from schools and other public and private places, including eateries.
• At some places, the total dissolved solids (TDS) content in water is higher than the permissible limit.