At least 10 people, including a five-month-old baby, have died and more than 270 have been hospitalised in Indore, India’s ‘cleanest city’, after sewage seeped into the drinking water supply. The contamination is believed to have originated from a public toilet built directly above a water pipeline without a septic tank.
Residents of the Bhagirathpura neighbourhood had complained for months about foul-smelling tap water, but their warnings went unheeded. Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava confirmed sewage was mixing “in the main line leading from the water tank”. Local media reported the death toll could be as high as 15, though this remains unconfirmed.
Health teams conducting door-to-door visits have identified over 2,450 suspected patients, with 32 in intensive care. Water tests showed “abnormal bacteria generally found in sewer water comprising human waste”, according to a medical official. The infant’s father, Sunil Sahu, said he had used filtered tap water for his son’s bottles, adding that no one warned residents about the contamination.
Municipal councillor Kamal Waghela described the incident as a “gross dereliction of duty”, and several officials have been suspended pending an investigation. The state government has promised stricter regulations to prevent a recurrence, with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav stating: “No stone will be left unturned to make sure it does not happen again.”
The crisis has drawn national attention to water safety. A report by The Times of India noted that only 8% of Delhi’s public water-testing labs are accredited, compared to 59% nationwide. Experts warn that rapid urban growth and lapses in testing heighten the risk of disease outbreaks across India.
