The piped water supplied by the Kerala Water Authority in the city has been found to be contaminated with coliform bacteria of non-fecal origin.
This was revealed in a probe done by Deccan Chronicle, for which the paper got a sample of the water supplied by KWA at a house at Chempumukku.
It was tested at the regional analytical laboratory, Kakkanad.
The result revealed that the drinking water quality was “not satisfactory” due to the presence of bacteria. The test showed that the bacteria count was 28 MPN (most probable number).
To KWA’s credit, all other parameters including PH level and contents of sulphates, nitrates, chlorides and iron were found to be within the desirable limit. (Please see the chart).
“Ideally it (the bacteria count) should be zero in treated water. We will look into the matter and plug the loophole,” a top official of the Kerala Water Authority told DC.
But he also added that it would need to be looked into whether the water was in any way contaminated on the house premises.
The chemist who conducted the analysis of the water sample at the regional analytical laboratory wrote in the report that the water quality was not satisfactory due to the presence of bacteria.
“The water may be treated with bleaching powder at the rate of 10g per 4,000 litres (to make it potable),” the chemist noted.