Contaminated Cauvery water sparks health crisis in Bengaluru's HBR Layout

Bengaluru: For the past five years, residents of a section of HBR Layout have been living under the threat of a health emergency as sewage continues to seep into the Cauvery water pipeline, contaminating their water supply.

Despite repeated complaints to the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), the issue remains unresolved, leading to recurring health problems such as diarrhoea and chronic cough among residents of 6th Main, 9th Cross, 3rd Block.

Several residents told DH that the water supplied to their homes is muddy, blackish, and emits a foul odour. “It's absolutely unfit for daily use, let alone drinking,” said one resident.

Several residents say the water supplied to their homes is muddy blackish and emits a foul odour.

Pius Maria Prasad, who has been residing in the area for 15 years, said, “This is an older layout, and while they replaced the pipeline about a month ago after several requests, they still haven't pinpointed the source of the contamination.”

Prasad explained that most homes have Cauvery water connected to sumps, making it difficult to detect when contaminated water enters the system. “We only realise it's unusable after it's pumped,” he added.

Residents also lamented the prolonged search for the sewage leak, which has left roads muddy for over two months.

Sayeeda Tazeen, another resident, expressed concern for senior citizens, saying the conditions make walking and commuting dangerous.

“The water supplied by the BWSSB isn’t enough for daily needs,” said resident Vikram Mailar Vijay. “We’re forced to rely on overpriced water tankers, even though we have a Cauvery connection.”

Prasad added that residents have had to spend extra on cleaning their contaminated sumps, criticising the BWSSB's handling of the situation as neither professional nor scientific.

BWSSB Executive Engineer Channabasavaiah told DH that the Cauvery water lines to all affected homes have been disconnected to locate the leak. He assured that the issue will be resolved within 15 days.