MARGAO: Strange it may seem, but true. The PWD will carry out testing on samples of water taken from the contaminated water pipeline on Friday, to ascertain whether the water is fit for drinking – exactly a week after locals residents suspected water contamination by sewage water entering the potable water pipeline.
The PWD on Thursday issued and appeal to the consumers in the areas of Malbhat, Gandhi market, station road, Pajifond and the areas near Virginkar petrol pump in Margao not to consumer water released on November 21-22 as the pipeline will be flushed and disinfected in view of suspected water contamination.
A lady chief chemist of the PWD descended in the city here on Thursday evening and was huddled with PWD officials taking stock of the situation. The chief chemist advised the PWD officials to ensure that water is not released in the pipeline on Thursday. The planned exercise to collect the water samples and test the same in the PWD laboratory was postponed by a day so as to alert the consumers not to consume the water to be released on Friday and Saturday as a precautionary measure.
When Herald questioned a PWD engineer whether the department is carrying out testing of the water samples now when the water mixed with sewage had already reached the homes and sumps of housing societies, the official said the department’s local laboratory had carried out the sample testing, which had come out negative. “The chief chemist wants to conduct the testing as a matter of caution and to ensure that the water is fit for drinking,” he said.
The operation to flush and disinfect the water pipeline supplying water to the Malbhat, Gandhi market and parts of Malbhat will begin around 11 am on Friday. Sewage entered the underground water pipeline when the pipeline was damaged during excavation of a storm water drain near the pick-up stand.
While initially the PWD officials ruled out the possibility of water contamination, consumers, however, suspected contamination during the weekend when they found the water smelling of sewage.
So far, the PWD has checked the junction points in the city and have cleared sewage and plastic waste from the underground pipeline, confirming that sewage and sludge had indeed found its way in the pipeline.
Meanwhile, a hotelier, who was lobbing in the corridors of the Margao Municipal Council on Thursday for reopening of his hotel which has remained closed from Monday, received a snub from the Chief Officer Narayan Sawant. The MMC CO is learnt to have told the hotelier point blank, to first put in place a soak pit before seeking permission to reopen the hotel.
Damaged pipeline meant ‘dry’ Navelim feast
Residents of Colmorod, Ratwado, Calcondem, Chinchal and Sirvodem areas within the Margao Municipal jurisdiction, had to contend with dry taps during the celebrations of the feast of Our Lady of Rosary Church, Navelim on Wednesday.
The reason was not far too seek. Water supply to these areas was cut off after the water pipeline was left damaged at two places by the ongoing sewerage works. While they overcame the water shortage with supply from a PWD water tanker, the agitated residents along with former MMC chairperson Savio Coutinho on Thursday demanded that the concerned departments closely supervise the ongoing sewerage works. They said the ongoing works give a “free for all” impression and the contractors dig up the roads as they wish, with little regard to the water pipeline and electricity cables.
Coutinho charged that works are not being executed as per specifications of the tender. He said that since the soil is loose, proper support by way of ‘shoring’ to the sides of excavations has to be provided. In the absence of shoring, the mud and the road keeps collapsing resulting into huge craters, and also bringing down along with it water supply lines. “Has the department ever estimated the huge losses to the exchequer on account of the damage and repair of the extra area of the road?” Coutinho demanded to know.
