Bug-time in Mumbai: Brown water in tap

Manmohan Singh’s city of dreams and the wannabe Shanghai has missed out on basic amenities. People voice their fears about the water-borne diseases that will make their annual appearance this monsoon.

Water is brown

I want to disappear from this city, it is a disaster. We all think of calories and diet colas, but does anyone think about the general health of the city? I'm from Delhi, which probably was the worst city in India, but in the last five years it has elevated itself to a world-class metropolis. The pollution levels have gone down drastically. The water there is cleaner and safer. For example, I live in Navi Mumbai and after the last shower, I opened the tap and found brown water.

The authorities claim that they are prepared, but it took only one measly shower for the entire water system to fall apart. In fact, last week half our office was down with viral infections. All this has made us dread the monsoon. On my part, the only precaution I can take is drink mineral and filtered water and cross my fingers and pray I survive the
season. —Vineeta Yadav/ Navi Mumbai

Change the waterpipes

We as individuals are getting more health conscious, but the city is anything but health-friendly. The water is contaminated, roads are bad, the city is polluted and yet we dream of Shanghai. Instead of making so many flyovers, it would be a better idea if we improve our basic amenities.. The city's waterpipes have been laid by the British. They are rusted and probably house an entire galaxy of bacteria.

The first thing the government should do to curb water-borne diseases is repair or replace these waterpipes. This a problem Mumbai grapples with every monsoon. It barely rains and you have jaundice, cholera and other ailments doing the rounds. —Archana C/ Tardeo

Better filtering systems

It's sad that a city of Mumbai's stature should be so unhealthy. I live in Juhu and it is a complete mess during the rains. They say that the ALMs are working night and day, but there are no results. The authorities are doing their work, but it will take a lot more to undo the negligence of so many years.  Water-borne diseases are a perennial problem that plague the city. Last monsoon, there were entire buildings that had jaundice because of contaminated water. The hutments are provided water only for an hour and it is a mad rush at that time. The water gets mixed with the slush and that is how an epidemic starts. Even our filtering systems aren't effective. Water is contaminated from the source. —Poonam Chabria/ Juhu

What the doctor says

This city can never be prepared enough for the monsoon, especially with the age-old sewage system. The drainage system in Mumbai was set up by the British and has not been re-laid ever since. You can well imagine its condition today. Also, in most parts of the city, the drainage pipes run along the water-distribution pipes. So there’s a risk of water contamination, Monsoon precautions can be necessarily summed up in four phrases—boil it, fry it, peel it or forget it! People should boil water and other edibles (like vegetables), or fry them to kill the germs.

Vegetable skins should be peeled to avoid direct consumption. Precautions should also be taken with homemade salads. Vegetables and fruits, along with the dressings, should be washed properly. An extra precaution, like washing it in filtered water, is advisable. Another important thing that people forget to check on is getting their water filters cleaned from the inside as people think that as long as it’s working, water is getting purified. This is a common fallacy.
—Dr Philip Abraham, Consultant gastroenterologist, PD Hinduja Hospital