Chandigarh: The Centre on Thursday conceded that complaints regarding contaminated drinking water had been received from parts of Chandigarh, while attributing most instances to muddy water caused by repair works and ageing infrastructure.The response came in the Lok Sabha in reply to a starred question raised by Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari.Replying to the question, Union housing and urban affairs minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the Chandigarh administration had received complaints about water contamination in areas including Mauli Jagran, Dariya and Hallo Majra.The Centre blamed the incidents largely on muddy water linked to ongoing repair works on supply lines and operational issues within the distribution system.According to the ministry, in the majority of cases the problem involved muddy water rather than confirmed contamination. It also noted that some residents use private pumps connected directly to distribution lines during non-supply hours, which can generate internal pressure at pipe joints and lead to mud entering the water supply.The ministry said 1,995 water samples had been collected over the last three months and tested at laboratories accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). The tests were found to be satisfactory, it added.Authorities also carried out flushing of water supply lines and ensured proper chlorination to maintain potable water quality. However, the administration acknowledged that Chandigarh’s ageing water supply system sometimes results in pipeline leakages.As part of long-term measures, the UT administration plans to replace old and damaged pipelines in phases with ductile iron pipelines and connect areas dependent on groundwater, including Mauli Jagran and Dariya, to canal-based water supply.Under the Centre’s Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0, seven projects worth Rs 166.39 crore have been taken up in Chandigarh. These include two water supply projects worth Rs 43.77 crore and five sewer and septage management projects worth Rs 122.62 crore.The projects cover 10.5 km of new water supply network and nearly 240 km of sewer network, including new pipelines and replacements. The ministry said more than 1.76 lakh water tap connections and 2.36 lakh sewer connections have been provided in the city under AMRUT and related programmes.The ministry also noted that contamination in urban water systems can occur due to multiple factors such as leakages, pipe bursts, defective joints, cross-connections with sewer lines, ageing infrastructure and intermittent supply creating negative pressure in pipelines.However, Tewari criticised the government’s response, alleging that the seriousness of the issue in rehabilitation colonies was being understated. “The government is being economical with the truth and attempting to cover up a very grave situation,” Tewari said.“The reality unfortunately is that in most rehabilitation colonies of Chandigarh, the drinking water pipes and sewage lines have corroded. As they lie next to each other, the drinking water is getting contaminated,” he added.The MP called for an urgent audit of water and sewage infrastructure in rehabilitation colonies.“There is a very urgent need to carry out an audit of the drinking water and sewage lines in all relief and rehabilitation colonies to ascertain the leakages and fix them to prevent a very serious situation from manifesting itself in the future,” he said.The Centre noted that water supply is primarily a state subject and the operation, maintenance and replacement of pipelines are the responsibility of urban local bodies, while the Union government provides financial and technical support through schemes such as AMRUT and AMRUT 2.0.
