Tests confirm water supplied to Gurgaon condo contaminated despite GMDA clean chit

Time of India

09-05-2025

Gurgaon: The resident welfare association (RWA) of NBCC Heights in Sector 89 has sought intervention from the GMDA CEO after two consecutive tests — conducted within 10 days — confirmed that water supplied by the Authority remains unfit for drinking.
After the primary health centre took the water samples, residents want GMDA to check and ensure clean and safe water. RWA president of NBCC Heights Col Ravinder Passi (retd) said on Friday, "We request GMDA to immediately depute a team to test the quality of water being supplied and examine the supply lines en route for any possible contamination." The residents have also urged GMDA to inspect its supply infrastructure and ensure safe and clean drinking water.A GMDA official said there is no issue at its end. A senior GMDA official said, "We visited the society on April 29 and collected samples in the presence of the estate manager. The sample taken at the inlet point from our supply was found to be fine. Additionally, we observed that the society was mixing borewell water with the domestic water supply. We have already informed residents not to mix any other source of water with GMDA supply." However, the RWA has denied the charge.The samples taken on April 26 showed microbial contamination, triggering health concerns among more than 400 residents, many of whom have complained about cases of vomiting, diarrhoea and typhoid. Subsequently, the RWA undertook immediate internal measures, including thorough cleaning of all underground and overhead tanks. Passi said, "The fact of the matter is that we have been regularly maintaining our tanks as per schedule and taking all possible precautions at our end. Yet, the inlet water from GMDA continues to show contamination. This clearly indicates a problem at the source itself."Passi added, "We are not at all mixing borewell water. Our only source of water of GMDA." The first sample, collected on April 26 by a team from PHC Harsaru, revealed the GMDA inlet water point contained nine colonies per 100 ml under Class III presumptive coliform count (PCC), while the society's outlet water — after internal distribution — showed an even worse reading of 14 colonies per 100 ml under Class IV PCC. Both were classified as unfit for consumption.Inlet water point is where GMDA's water comes in the storage tank of the society. The sample collected from this point shows nine colonies (it is the unit used to quantify presumptive coliform counts per 100 ml of sample.)However, residents said they conducted a chlorine check using a field testing kit after the first report and found no trace of chlorine in the GMDA-supplied water. "The absence of chlorine indicated a complete lapse in basic water disinfection," Passi said. A follow-up water sample was taken on May 5. The test report, which came on May 7, showed that the inlet water point was still tested under Class III PCC with six colonies per 100 ml and continued to fall outside acceptable standards.