TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The Public Works Department stepped up measures to contain possibilities of water contamination, as they claimed that clogged drains in the capital city, are posing problems to the age old water supply lines.
A case of contamination had been reported a week ago near 18 June Road where both the Corporation of the City of Panaji and PWD plugged the lines and managed to rectify the problem after consumers complained of foul smelling water flowing from the taps.
While the CCP Mayor Surendra Furtado denied claims that clogged drains in the city are causing a problem, the PWD maintained that water in the city’s storm drains particularly along 18 June Road is flowing way above the water supply lines due to the heavy monsoon showers.
“While so far we have had only one complaint of water contamination, we are not taking chances and have started collecting samples from different locations for testing on a daily basis,” said PWD Executive Engineer, Division III, Dilip Dhavalikar.
This year due to continuous heavy rains the water has not receded and the old water supply lines in the drains face chances of seepage of rain water at weak joints, Dhavalikar said. At some places storm water mingled with sewer water is reported to have overflowed on the city streets.
The PWD has also increased the use of chlorine in treating water. Dhavalikar confirmed that due to increase in turbidity during the monsoons, water is treated using additional dosage of chemical chlorine.
“People should compulsorily boil the water,” he said.
Mayor Surendra Furtado said, “The PWD is laying large diameter pipelines in the drains at certain places, so how do you expect storm water to channel out .”
He also blamed incessant digging of roads by various agencies as having caused damage to the sewerage lines.
The mayor allayed fears of there being any major problem in the city. So far water samples tested by the PWD are reported to be negative for water contamination.
