The Hindu 27.08.2009
Officials confirm water contamination
Staff Correspondent
Residents advised to boil water before drinking it
HASSAN: Officials have confirmed that contaminated drinking water was behind the outbreak of gastroenteritis in Arsikere town, which affected 265 people between 20 and 25 August.
District Surveillance Officer M.S. Hemalatha said here on Wednesday that water samples collected from the overhead water tanks in the Arsikere town had tested positive for the virus responsible.
Arsikere and Tiptur are supplied drinking water from the Hemavathi in alternating 12-hour shifts. Water that is supplied to Arsikere is stored in an overhead tank built in 1939. Most residents depend upon this water supply, as most borewells in the town only supply hard water.
Deputy Commissioner Naveen Raj Singh visited Arsikere on Monday and Tuesday and directed the chief officer of the town municipality to repair the cracks in the overhead tank, remove accumulated rust on iron plates and pipe joints and plaster, paint and clean the tank.
In the meantime, the town is being supplied water through tankers so as to control the spread of gastroenteritis.
Dr. Hemalatha urged residents to boil all water before drinking.
Water released
On Wednesday afternoon water was released from the tank, but people were advised through the public address system to flush the water. They were told it was safe to use the water from Thursday morning onwards.
Sources claimed that the pipes used for the distribution of water had to not been changed since the construction of the overhead tank in 1939, even though it was mandatory that they be changed once every 30 years. It is reported that the municipality has prepared a scheme for replacing pipes at an estimated cost of Rs. 1.4 crore that has been sent to the Government for approval.
