Contaminated water issue returns to haunt Peth area

Water woes of Shukrawar Peth residents refuse to end. After DNA carried a report on how Shukrawar Peth residents were getting contaminated drinking water, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) repaired the pipeline leakage. However, two months after the repairs, the issue of dirty drinking water has reared its ugly head again in the area.

On August 25, DNA had carried a report ‘Peth areas getting sewage water in times of scarcity’ highlighting how residents of Guruwar Peth and Shukrawar Peth were receiving polluted drinking water, as the pipelines in this area were very old and there were leakages in them. Due to choked drainage systems, the sewage water was finding its way into the drinking water pipeline, leading to residents being supplied this contaminated water.

After DNA’s report, PMC’s water department had carried out repairs and clean water supply was restored.

However, recently, residents of Shukrawar Peth have started getting contaminated drinking water again. Prabhakar Kedari, a Shukrawar Peth resident, who is suffering from water woes told DNA, “We are fed up with getting contaminated water. All our family members are falling sick due to the use of this water and there is a stench in our home all day.”

Rushikesh Balgude, another resident, said, “A couple of months ago, the problem of contaminated water was resolved by the PMC. However, the issue has come back to haunt us again. We met PMC officials and demanded that this problem be resolved permanently as early as possible.”

When asked about the contaminated water supply issue, Avinash Kamthe, engineer of PMC’s water supply department, said, “The drainage line in this area is choked, and sewage water is entering into the drinking water pipeline again. The drainage department needs to repair the drainage pipeline, after which we will replace the old pipeline with the new pipeline, so that there is no further problem of leakage.”