Sewer Bacteria Found In Indore Water Linked to Deadly Diarrhoea Outbreak

Sewer Bacteria Found In Indore’s Contaminated Water After Diarrhoea Outbreak Kills At Least 9, Probe Reveals

A major public health crisis has unfolded in Indore after a probe confirmed the presence of sewer-related bacteria in the city’s drinking water supply, linking contaminated water to the deaths of at least nine people. The findings have raised serious concerns about water safety, infrastructure maintenance, and administrative accountability in one of India’s cleanest cities.

Laboratory tests conducted on water samples from the affected area detected bacteria commonly found in sewage, confirming that contaminated water was the primary cause of a large-scale vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak.

Dangerous Bacteria Detected in Drinking Water

According to initial laboratory reports, the contaminated water samples tested positive for Vibrio cholerae, Shigella, and E. coli — pathogens known to cause severe gastrointestinal infections. These bacteria can lead to acute diarrhoea, vomiting, dehydration, and in severe cases, death, particularly among children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health conditions.

Health officials stated that the detection of these organisms strongly indicates sewage contamination of the drinking water supply. The confirmation has intensified scrutiny of the city’s underground water pipeline network.

Bhagirathpura Identified as Outbreak Epicentre

The outbreak was reported from Bhagirathpura, an area that witnessed a sudden spike in diarrhoeal cases. Residents initially complained of foul-smelling water around December 25, although some locals said the issue had persisted for weeks before escalating into a health emergency.

Indore, which has topped India’s cleanliness rankings for eight consecutive years, now faces questions over how such severe contamination went unnoticed for so long.

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Leakage in Pipeline Blamed for Contamination

Officials investigating the incident said sewage entered the drinking water system due to a leakage in an underground pipeline. A major leak was reportedly found in the main water supply line near a police outpost in Bhagirathpura, at a location where a toilet had allegedly been constructed directly above the pipeline.

Authorities believe this structural violation caused sewage to seep into the drinking water supply, contaminating water distributed to households in the area.

Extent of the Outbreak

The scale of the health crisis is significant. Officials confirmed that more than 2,400 people have reported symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea so far. A health department survey covered 1,714 households, examining 8,571 individuals.

Of these, 338 people with mild symptoms were treated at home. However, 272 patients required hospitalisation over the past eight days. While 71 patients have been discharged, 201 remain hospitalised, including 32 in intensive care units.

Initially, 14 deaths were reported from the area. Authorities later clarified that nine deaths were directly caused by diarrhoea linked to contaminated water, while the remaining deaths were due to co-morbidities or unrelated medical conditions.

Administration Confirms Contaminated Water as Cause

The city’s Chief Medical and Health Officer confirmed that laboratory analysis conducted at a medical college established contaminated drinking water as the source of the illness. Following inspections, clean water was restored to households, though residents have been advised to boil water before consumption as a precaution.

Fresh water samples have been collected and sent for further testing to ensure the safety of the supply.

Pipeline Network Under Full Review

The probe committee overseeing the investigation stated that the entire drinking water pipeline network in Bhagirathpura is being examined to identify any additional leakages or vulnerabilities. Officials said lessons learned from this incident would be used to create a standard operating procedure for the entire state to prevent similar outbreaks in the future.

Authorities have also intensified surveillance of Indore’s water distribution system as a preventive measure.

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Human Rights Commission Takes Notice

The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and issued a notice to the Madhya Pradesh government. The commission cited reports that residents had complained about contaminated water for several days without corrective action.

Calling the incident a potential human rights violation, the commission has asked for a detailed report from the state’s chief secretary within two weeks.

Government Response and Assurance

The Madhya Pradesh chief minister described the situation as an “emergency-like” crisis and assured strict action against those responsible. He visited hospitals to review the condition of patients and later chaired a high-level meeting to assess containment measures and accountability.

A Wake-Up Call for Urban Infrastructure

The discovery of sewer bacteria found in Indore’s contaminated water has exposed critical gaps in urban infrastructure management. Experts say the incident underscores the urgent need for regular pipeline audits, strict enforcement against illegal constructions, and quicker response to citizen complaints.

As investigations continue, the focus remains on ensuring safe drinking water, preventing further loss of life, and restoring public trust in civic systems.

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