"A Disaster Caused by Cost-Cutting": 1,400 Infected and Multiple Deaths After Drinking Tap Water in India... What Happened?

Contaminated Tap Water Due to Sewage Infiltration
Criticism Grows Over "Administrative Corruption and Poor Management"

Person drinking water. Photo is not directly related to the content of the article. Getty Images

An incident in a central Indian city, where sewage entered the tap water supply, has resulted in at least 16 deaths and more than 1,400 residents reporting abnormal symptoms. With dozens of people admitted to intensive care units, the death toll is expected to rise further.

According to international media outlets such as the Independent on January 5 (local time), residents of the Bhagirathpura area in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, central India, developed mass cases of diarrhea after drinking contaminated tap water. Health authorities have confirmed that at least 16 people have died so far, and more than 1,400 are experiencing symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and high fever.

Currently, more than 200 patients are being treated at 27 hospitals across Indore, with 11 of them in intensive care units. Authorities have stated that, given the scale of the outbreak, the death toll could rise further.

A view of Indore, India. Super Corridor Indore homepage

Toilet Waste Mixed with Tap Water... Bacterial Contamination Confirmed

Investigations have revealed that the direct cause of the incident was a leak in the water supply pipe. Sewage leaked from a public toilet built above the drinking water pipe, seeping into the water supply and contaminating it with bacteria. It was found that the toilet had been constructed without a septic tank.

Health authorities reported that abnormal bacteria commonly found in human waste were detected in large quantities during water quality testing. It is estimated that more than 2,000 residents were exposed to the contaminated water.

Since the outbreak of the diarrhea epidemic, anxiety has been rapidly spreading among local residents. Local media reported a surge in parents rushing to hospitals with their children, even if they displayed only mild symptoms such as a cold, low fever, or slight diarrhea.

"A Disaster Caused by Cost-Cutting"... Growing Criticism

The incident has sparked criticism that goes beyond simple negligence, with many calling it a structural problem. Water conservation activist Rajendra Singh described the situation as "clearly a man-made disaster," citing deep-rooted administrative corruption and mismanagement as the causes.

He criticized, "Contractors installed drinking water and sewage pipes virtually in the same location to save costs," and added, "If such an incident can happen in the city considered the cleanest in India, how vulnerable must the drinking water systems in other cities be?" Indore has been ranked the cleanest city in India for the past eight years in the national cleanliness survey.

Authorities have begun sewage purification and pipe inspections in the affected area, stating that the full investigation will take about 8 to 10 days. For now, drinking water is being supplied temporarily via water tanks, and residents are being advised to boil tap water before use or refrain from using it altogether until further notice.