Nagpur: Power cable-laying work by Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) damaged two water connections passing through a sewer chamber in Prabhat Nagar, contaminating the drinking water supply in the area, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) informed the Bombay High Court’s Nagpur bench on Monday.The disclosure came in an affidavit filed before the court during the hearing of a suo motu PIL initiated after TOI reports highlighted contaminated drinking water in several parts of the city. A division bench comprising Justices Anil Kilor and Rajneesh Vyas adjourned the hearing till Sept 8. Ishika Mahadule assisted the court as amicus curiae, while Gemini Kasat represented NMC.According to NMC and Orange City Water (OCW), two 15mm-diameter water connections passing through a sewer chamber were damaged during MSEDCL’s cable-laying work in Prabhat Nagar, leading to sewage contamination of the water supply. The connections were subsequently repaired, the affected pipeline was flushed, and the water supply was restored.Water samples collected from consumers’ taps were tested at the public health laboratory. A report dated Feb 9, 2026, found the water fit for consumption after the remedial measures were carried out.The affidavit also presented a wider picture of the city’s water-quality concerns. Between Jan 2025 and March 2026, authorities tested 26,671 water samples, of which 208 were found unfit for drinking. In Feb 2026 alone, eight of the 1,683 samples tested failed quality checks, while 323 complaints of contaminated water were received.Earlier, a meeting chaired by the mayor identified contaminated water supply in more than 50 settlements across nine of the city’s 10 zones, potentially affecting around four lakh residents. The affected areas included parts of the Laxmi Nagar, Dharampeth, Dhantoli, Nehru Nagar, Gandhibagh, Satranjipura, Lakadganj, Ashi Nagar and Mangalwari zones.The civic body also cited illegal water connections as another source of contamination. In Nikhare Layout in Mankapur, a clogged and collapsed sewer chamber caused sewage to enter and contaminate a nearby water pipeline, affecting 35 households. An inspection found 10 unauthorised connections on the pipeline. NMC said sewage entered through these connections, while the unauthorised tapping also weakened the pipeline and increased the risk of leakages.
