21-04-2025
Test clears water, but questions boil over contamination in Woraiyur
Trichy: Amid the ongoing controversy over suspected water contamination deaths in Woraiyur, the Trichy Corporation received a brief respite on Monday after test results declared the drinking water supply in three affected wards to be of satisfactory quality. However, residents continued to report illness and challenged the findings, alleging that contaminated water was to blame.
The Regional Public Health Water Analysis Laboratory in Trichy tested 15 water samples from wards 8, 9, and 10 — covering areas such as Kollidam water source, Panickan Street, Minnappan Street, Pandamangalam, and Nachiyarpuram. The report confirmed the absence of pathogenic organisms, including Faecal Streptococci, Salmonella, and Vibrio cholerae.
Despite the findings, residents suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea said they were convinced their symptoms were caused by the consumption of contaminated water. "Normally we drink only RO water, but last week I drank the corporation water in a hurry — and my son drank from a pipe while playing. Now both of us are sick," said N Farida Begum, 43, a resident of Bangali Street. Her elder son, who did not drink the piped water, remained unaffected.
The chief water analyst recommended chlorination and resumption of supply only after thorough cleaning of the pipelines. A senior corporation official said heat-related conditions may have aggravated infections caused by substandard food or beverages. "Though water tests ruled out contamination, we consider the situation serious. Health camps and screenings are continuing," the official said.
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To contain the spread of illness, the corporation has deployed five dedicated teams to screen residents, provide medicines, spot leaks, and disinfect the supply network.
Meanwhile, authorities denied any deaths directly linked to water contamination in Woraiyur. A four-year-old girl initially suspected to have died from water-borne illness had underlying gastrointestinal conditions, officials said, adding that final postmortem results are awaited. The other two suspected cases were attributed to heart failure and age-related illness.
As of Monday, 42 patients remained admitted at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH), and 11 in private hospitals. Several patients undergoing treatment with IV fluids continued to blame the water supply, rejecting officials' claims that the outbreak was triggered by food consumed during the Chithirai temple festival in mid-April. "We didn't eat any festival food," multiple residents insisted.
A medical officer at MGMGH said delayed symptoms of food poisoning were possible in rare cases, but stopped short of ruling out waterborne causes. "There have been instances of delayed onset in food poisoning cases. So, it cannot be conclusively declared as water contamination," the officer said.
