MAPUSA
Residents across several parts of Mapusa and other areas in Bardez, including Calangute, have been grappling with muddy water flowing from their taps for the past several days, raising serious concerns about water quality and public health.
Despite numerous complaints to the Public Works Department (PWD) water division, the issue remains unresolved.
Locals say the reddish-brown water is unsuitable even for boiling, let alone drinking or cooking, forcing many to depend on packaged water.
"For the last several days, we have been receiving reddish water. Even after boiling, the colour remains the same and refuses to settle down,” a Calangute resident shared.
Similar complaints have poured in from various localities, with residents expressing frustration over the department’s slow response.
“People in certain areas in town are getting muddy water supply. We are not sure if the water supplied is properly filtered or not,” said Kamal D’Souza, a councillor from Mapusa.
Mapusa Municipal Council Chairperson, Priya Mishal, acknowledged the problem, stating that last week’s supply was indeed muddy.
“We are under the impression it’s because of turbidity in the water, which tends to increase during the monsoon,” she said, while noting that the situation has since stabilised in some parts.
With the issue showing no signs of immediate resolution, Congress workers met with local PWD officials, demanding urgent action and threatening to stage a protest if the problem persists.
Responding to the mounting pressure, PWD Assistant Engineer Rohidas Naik confirmed that steps have now been taken to identify and rectify the issue.
“We have collected water samples from different parts of Mapusa which will be sent for laboratory testing. Additionally, we are flushing the pipelines wherever possible to clear out any silt or contaminants,” he said.
Naik also mentioned that officials have been in touch with the Assonora Water Treatment Plant, the main source of supply, but no irregularities have been found at the plant.
“We are hopeful that the supply will return to normal within the next two to three days,” he added.
This is not the first time that residents have faced muddy water supply during the monsoon, leading to growing apprehension about potential contamination and the long-term safety of the water supply in the region.
