DJB slams civic agency’s water report

“With a network of more than 16,000 km of water pipeline,on an average 25 to 30 complaints related to local contamination issues are received per day,mainly from densely-populated and unplanned areas. DJB always takes up such complaints on priority and they are immediately referred to the Quality Control wing,which gets the samples lifted from the affected pockets and remedial actions are carried out further,” the DJB said.

The DJB said the corporation “has not carried out joint sampling,in spite of repeated requests”.

Alleging that the water quality survey was done with malafide intent of raising alarm,the DJB in a statement said: “The gist of the report is that MCD collected 258 samples from different areas of Delhi,of which more than 50 per cent samples were claimed to be unfit for drinking. DJB has not yet received the copy of the report and,therefore,cannot respond specifically to the issue.”

“DJB has a standard process for testing the quality of drinking water,and the water is tested for physico-chemical and bacteriological parameters. DJB carries out water sample tests by an independent unit headed by Director,Treatment and Quality Control (DTQC),the sample testing unit of DJB,” the statement said.

The DJB said the percentage of satisfactory water samples ranged between 98 to 99 per cent,which was well within the WHO guidelines.