‘Water muddy and yellow… smells rotten’: Residents fall ill, Greater Noida authority to swap old iron pipes for plastic

Vinod Sharma, General Manager (Water Management), GNIDA, said many of the pipelines laid out by the Noida Authority were made of galvanised iron, which has a limited lifespan. “These pipes remain in constant contact with soil and moisture and begin to corrode. When leakage occurs, mud enters the pipeline, turning the water yellow. Most pipes have already been replaced and the remaining will be changed soon,” he added.

Sharma further said that the foul smell occurs when sewage water enters supply lines during leaks, particularly when the pipelines are empty. “We have issued an advisory asking residents not to turn on motors when there is no water supply,” he added.

Following complaints from residents, the GNIDA had inspected several sectors, with the exercise coming to an end on Monday. In an official statement, the authority said the inspection was precautionary in nature, with eight teams collecting random water samples from over 80 locations across 18 sectors, including Delta 1, 2 and 3, as well as residential societies in Greater Noida West.

On Thursday, several residents of Delta 1 had told The Indian Express that the problem was recurring, forcing families to rely on packaged drinking water.

“The water is muddy and yellow. It smells rotten… Even if we wash our hands, it smells like drain water,” said Sushma Nagar (32), a resident of a gated society in Delta 1. She said the smell started emanating early January, resulting in her five-year-old son vomiting and complaining of stomach ache.

Members of residents’ welfare associations (RWA) said people from blocks C, E and F in Delta 1 were affected. “In one lane alone, about 50 houses with nearly 150 families were affected,” said an RWA member.

Vijay Singh, treasurer of the Delta 1 RWA said that over 100 complaints have been submitted to GNIDA in the last eight years regarding water contamination. “Each time a resident falls sick, a plumber is sent and the problem is fixed temporarily. There has never been a permanent solution.”

Officials at GNIDA, however, denied receiving any formal complaints from residents. “The authority supplies water up to overhead tanks. The issue lies in the internal distribution system and not from our end,” Sharma said.

Residents also alleged that the contamination was a result of structural issues. “The sewer, drain and water supply lines run parallel, just a few inches apart. When the sewer line overflows, it enters the drain and reaches the water supply chamber. These pipes meet at the corners, and vibrations from passing vehicles cause them to break,” Singh said.

The GNIDA maintained that this was unlikely. “Sewage and water supply lines run parallel because these are primary connections. The chances of them mixing is unlikely and only happens when there is a leak,” Sharma said.

Dr Shishir Bansal, Delhi Technological University Professor of Environment Laws and Policies, Environment impact Assessment, said to avoid water contamination, it was necessary to ensure that the buildings are water-proof. “We can take precautionary measures… We can use polyurea membrane, a high-performing liquid coating, which makes buildings leak-proof and has higher durability,” he added.

“The water also has to be properly treated to ensure that it was not contaminated in the process of transportation,” said Bansal.

Dr Narayan Kishore, Medical Superintendent of Dankaur PHC, said water contaminated due to mixing of faecal matter from the sewer line with drinking water contains E Coli bacteria and amoeba that directly affects the intestine.

“Prolonged use can lead to jaundice and other intestine-related issues. The easiest way would be to use chlorine tablets to keep water clean,” he added.