Sewage-tainted water claims lives in India’s “cleanest” city
Public toilet over pipeline blamed as sewage contaminates Indore water, sending hundreds to hospitals
Sewage-contaminated drinking water has been blamed for a deadly health crisis in Indore, a city repeatedly celebrated as India’s “cleanest,” exposing a stark gap between civic rankings and basic public safety. At least 10 people, including a five-month-old baby boy, have died, while more than 270 residents have been hospitalised after sewage allegedly entered the municipal water supply in a densely populated neighbourhood.
The outbreak has shaken confidence in Indore, Madhya Pradesh’s commercial capital, which has topped national cleanliness surveys for eight consecutive years. Residents of Bhagirathpura, a congested lower-income area, say they had warned authorities for months about foul-smelling and discoloured tap water, but their complaints went unanswered.
“I have received information about 10 deaths due to a diarrhoea outbreak caused by contaminated water in the Bhagirathpura area,” Indore mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava said, confirming that sewage was mixing “in the main line leading from the water tank.” Local media outlets reported that the death toll may have risen to 15, though officials have not confirmed those figures.
Hospitals across the city were flooded with patients earlier this week, many suffering from severe diarrhoea, vomiting, dehydration and high fever. At least 32 people remain in intensive care units. Beyond those admitted, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said health teams conducting door-to-door surveys identified 2,456 “suspected patients,” providing first aid and medication on the spot to prevent further deterioration.
Authorities believe the contamination may have been caused by a public toilet constructed directly above a drinking water pipeline. According to officials, the structure lacked a septic tank, allowing sewage to seep into the water supply over time.
For residents, the tragedy feels both sudden and long-anticipated. Many say they navigated a maze of municipal offices and helplines to complain about the water, only to be ignored or redirected. “The water smelled bad for weeks. Sometimes it was yellowish,” said one resident, who asked not to be named.
The death of a five-month-old infant has become a painful symbol of the crisis. The baby was bottle-fed using tap water, his father Sunil Sahu told reporters. “No one told us the water was contaminated. We filtered it.
Opposition leaders have accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government of negligence. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the incident highlighted a fundamental failure of governance. “Clean water isn’t a favour – it’s a right to life,” he said, calling for accountability and systemic reform rather than temporary fixes.
Within the municipal administration, the fallout has begun. An Indore councillor, Kamal Waghela, described the situation as “gross dereliction of duty,” and several municipal officials have been suspended pending an investigation. State authorities have promised strict action and new rules to prevent similar incidents.
Editorials and public health experts, however, warn that the Indore tragedy reflects a deeper national problem. An editorial in The Hindu described the incident as a “wake-up call for India’s water management,” noting that while cities focus on visible cleanliness drives, enforcement of water safety and environmental laws often lags behind. With toxic air pollution already “wreaking havoc on citizens’ health,” unsafe water adds another silent but deadly burden.
Concerns about water testing infrastructure further deepen the alarm. The Times of India recently reported that only 8% of public water-testing laboratories run by the Delhi government are accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories. Nationwide, just 59% of public labs meet accredited standards, raising fears that contamination may go undetected until it turns fatal.
As India’s cities expand rapidly, experts warn that aging infrastructure, haphazard construction and weak oversight are creating ideal conditions for disease outbreaks. In Indore, residents are now left grappling not only with grief and illness, but with a haunting question: how could such a tragedy unfold in a city repeatedly hailed as the country’s cleanest?