Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) commissioner Rudresh Gali announced that a sudden increase in water turbidity forced a one-day suspension of water supply, which resumed on Wednesday in parts of Hubballi-Dharwad. The sharp rise in turbidity in the Malaprabha River placed the water treatment plant (WTP) in Amminbhavi on high alert, raising concerns over drinking water safety.
Heavy rainfall in the catchment area sent silt-laden water into the Malaprabha River at the jackwell on Tuesday, drastically increasing turbidity. HDMC officials, including the mayor and deputy mayor, visited the plant to assess the situation.
Deputy mayor Santosh Chavan told TOI that, for the first time, the water's turbidity level had increased significantly following heavy rainfall in the Malaprabha catchment area. “We noticed that the presence of silt (red-coloured soil) and other dust particles was very high in the water, and we immediately stopped the supply of water to Hubballi-Dharwad from Tuesday morning. We also visited the WTP, where we found a heavy gush of silt-laden water that left the WTP staff worried and halted the water supply,” he said.
Chavan added that immediate measures are being taken to build a retaining wall around the jackwell to prevent the flow of silt and other particles from surrounding areas. Additionally, plans include inserting mesh inside water pipelines, raising the compound wall, and appointing security guards to prevent pollution or contamination of water by discharging polluted water near the WTP.
Commissioner Rudresh Gali stated that staff were working diligently to purify the water. “Our staff at the WTP is working hard to purify the water by using chemicals required to clean water turbidity. The high water turbidity was the result of heavy rains in the catchment areas. Usually, there is low turbidity in summer, and a bit more in the flowing water during the rains, but we noticed high water turbidity on Tuesday. Many cleaning staff were involved in cleaning the entire WTP, and our experts began purifying the water by mixing sufficient chemicals to produce clean water,” he explained.
Gali also appealed to the public to drink boiled and cooled water for two to three days until the situation comes under control. Civic activist Dr. MC Sindhur warned that high turbidity could lead to gastroenteritis and other waterborne diseases, urging authorities to take extreme precautions. He also called on HDMC to publish its water testing report in the public domain for transparency.
