Shillong, Oct 3: Water in 44 localities out of 46 in the city is not safe for drinking.
The Federation of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) collected water samples and the test revealed that only Mawblei and Demthring are exceptions.
The FKJGP submitted the findings to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Tuesday.
The FKJGP said following complaints and concerns raised by the public about the quality of drinking, water samples from 46
localities across Shillong city were collected in inorder to ensure that people consume safe drinking water.
The water samples were collected as per the ‘Standard Operating Procedure’ laid down by
the State Food Testing Laboratory of the Commissionerate of Food Safety, Government of Meghalaya.
The samples were collected on the same day( August 22) by the FKJGP members in the presence of locality representatives inorder to avoid any false result.
All samples collected from 46 (forty-six) localities across Shillong were brought to the State Food Testing Laboratory, Commissionerate of Food Safety
located at Pasteur Hills, Shillong for quality testing and complete analysis.
“The results of 44 localities show the presence of Coliform and E. coli organisms with low pH value, high turbidity, and iron content above the prescribed limit; which clearly indicates that the water collected and tested in these 44 (forty-four) localities is unsafe as per FSSAI standards. Hence, continuous consumption of such water can be detrimental to human health”, the FKJGP said in the letter submitted to the chief minister.
The detection of low pH value in these water samples collected and tested indicates that the water is acidic in nature. As per FSSAI standards, the normal pH value of drinking water ranges from 6.5 to 8.5 respectively. Below 6.5, the water is said to be acidic in nature. As per research; when acidic water passes through water pipes, it can corrode and damage them. If the pH of the water is extremely low, it can even start to dissolve the copper from the metal pipes.
“If copper enters our drinking water, it can lead to kidney and/or liver damage. It is true, drinking water that contains iron can be beneficial to your health. However, excessive iron in drinking water may have negative effects. Presence of high iron content leads to an overload which can cause diabetes, hemochromatosis, stomach problems,nausea and damage to healthy skin cells which may result in early onset of wrinkles. Besides, high iron content damages the liver, pancreas, and heart. Similarly, high turbidity in drinking water can harbour microbial pathogens, which can be attached to particles and impair disinfection”, the letter said.
Presence of fecal coliforms in water indicate that contamination of the water by a warm-blooded animal has occurred and this may cause several intestinal diseases, the FKJGP said.
Pathogen like E. coli can cause several diseases like diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome, respiratory illness, pneumonia, and other illnesses. However, E. coli can also cause illnesses such as meningitis, septicemia, urinary tract, and intestinal infections which may be fatal in small children and the elderly and may even result in high mortality rate.
“Therefore, we urge the government to kindly address this public concern at the earliest and take necessary steps to rectify the issue to ensure safe and clean drinking water to our people. As mentioned, our only concern is that authorities, like the Municipal Board and PHE (Public Health Engineering) Department including locality representative should work together for the safety of the citizens. This is for the welfare of the people of our state”, the FKJGP said.
