Water contamination: test results of samples expected on Thursday

Samples collected from water supply systems at DLF Towers in Kakkanad sent for bacterial and chemical tests even as the number of people undergoing treatment at nearby hospital comes down to two

The test results of water samples collected from a major apartment complex in Thrikkakara municipality are expected to be available on Thursday. The samples were sent for examination following the outbreak of waterborne diseases among residents of the apartment complex.

Samples collected from the water supply systems at DLF Towers have been sent for bacterial and chemical tests even as the number of people admitted to a nearby hospital came down on Wednesday to two, though 18 persons had sought medical support on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Thrikkakara Municipal Cooperative Hospital held camps at the apartment complex on Wednesday to examine those with symptoms of water-borne diseases, the hospital authorities said. They added that no fresh cases were reported on Wednesday. Of the three persons undergoing treatment at the hospital, one was discharged on the day. The remaining two were expected to be discharged soon, hospital sources said.

Meanwhile, C.C. Viju, municipal councillor representing Ward 16, quoted the Health authorities as saying that the test results would begin to come in on Thursday as a large number of samples had to be collected from different systems within the huge housing complex where around 1,200 families reside.

According to the Health department, as many as 441 residents of the apartment complex were reported to have been hit by diarrhoea and fever over a fortnight. A team of senior Health officials visited the complex on Tuesday even as the authorities issued a list of Do’s and Don’ts with water in the wake of the disease outbreak. They also held discussions with the District Collector on Wednesday.

The fact that the apartment complex used several sources of water — borewells, open wells, rain harvesting, private tanker supplies, and supply by the Kerala Water Authority — has made the tests a complex procedure with regard to identifying the sources of contamination.

A resident of a neighbouring residential complex said the heavy downpour on May 30 and June 1 in which several parts of Kakkanad, including the neighbouring IT hub InfoPark, were flooded appeared to have triggered a major seepage of dirty water into drinking water tanks and open water sources. The resident said water sources in their apartment complex were drained and cleaned before water supply was resumed to ensure that contaminated water did not get into the supply system.

Meanwhile, Janakiya Anweshana Samithi, a people’s inquiry group, appealed to the authorities to ensure that apartments and flat complexes in Kakkanad did not discharge septage into the Kadambrayar river system. A statement issued by Samithi general convenor T.N. Prathapan said a few apartment complexes involved in malpractices in disposing of waste had been warned but did not heed to the warnings. He called for an inspection by the authorities of the river system and discharge facilities at the apartment complexes to prevent pollution of the waterbody.