The water divide: India’s daily struggle for clean water
The quality of piped water must be tested at the point of delivery to protect public health and build trust.
An often-cited indicator of a society’s public health is the condition of its poorest and most vulnerable citizens. Access to healthcare, education, infrastructure, clean air and, most critically, safe drinking water defines the dignity of everyday life. These are not privileges but basic needs, and the responsibility of ensuring them lies squarely with governments and public institutions. Yet, on several of these counts, India continues to falter. The latest reminder comes from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, where a preventable tragedy has once again exposed deep cracks in the country’s water governance system.
At least four people, including an infant, have officially lost their lives after consuming municipally supplied drinking water in Indore. Unofficial estimates place the toll at nearly 14. More than 2,000 residents have fallen ill, over 200 have been hospitalised, and 32 remain in intensive care. Behind these stark numbers are families grappling with fear, grief and anger — all triggered by something as fundamental as turning on a tap.
The irony is impossible to miss. Indore has been celebrated repeatedly as India’s cleanest city, winning accolades for waste segregation, sanitation drives and municipal efficiency. Its reputation has been carefully cultivated as a model for urban cleanliness under the Swachh Bharat Mission. Yet, beneath this polished image lies a basic failure: ensuring that the water flowing into people’s homes is safe to drink. Clean streets and efficient garbage collection lose meaning when citizens are poisoned by their own water supply.
As has become routine after such disasters, blame-shifting began almost immediately. Authorities pointed fingers at delays in installing a new water supply line and announced the formation of an inquiry committee. While investigations are necessary, they do little to comfort families who have lost loved ones or those still battling illness. More importantly, they raise a troubling question: why was contamination not detected earlier, and why were residents not warned before the situation spiralled into a public health emergency?
This is not an isolated incident. Just two months earlier, students at the Vellore Institute of Technology campus near Bhopal staged protests after contaminated water led to a spate of jaundice cases. The repetition of such events suggests a systemic problem rather than unfortunate coincidence. It reflects a troubling complacency around water quality monitoring, particularly when the supply is classified as “municipal” and therefore assumed to be safe.
India has made undeniable progress in expanding access to water. According to the National Family Health Survey, 96% of households now use an improved source of drinking water, despite persistent rural-urban disparities. Initiatives such as the Jal Jeevan Mission have significantly increased piped water connections, especially in rural areas. However, access without assurance of quality is a hollow achievement. A pipeline that delivers contaminated water is not a solution; it is a hazard.
Municipal water supplies are widely regarded as safe because they are meant to be treated, monitored and regulated. If checks and balances had been functioning as intended in Indore, contamination would have been detected early and residents alerted in time to prevent loss of life. The failure here is not merely technical but institutional. Regular testing at the delivery point, transparent reporting of results and swift public communication appear to be missing links.
The broader context makes this lapse even more alarming. India already faces a severe public health burden from air pollution, which contributes to respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular disease and reduced life expectancy. Unsafe drinking water should not be added to this growing list of preventable threats. With a population approaching 147 crore, water-borne diseases place immense strain on healthcare systems and disproportionately affect the poor, who often lack access to private medical care or alternative water sources.
The incidents in Madhya Pradesh must serve as a national wake-up call. All States should immediately audit their water supply systems, testing for chemical contamination, sewage intrusion and microbial hazards. Ageing infrastructure, including corroded pipes and leaking sewage lines, must be repaired or replaced without delay. Temporary fixes and cosmetic improvements will no longer suffice.
Equally important is enforcement. India does not lack water quality guidelines or environmental laws; what it lacks is consistent monitoring and accountability. Officials responsible for lapses must be held answerable, not shielded by committees and delayed reports. Public awareness campaigns can also play a role, educating citizens about early signs of water contamination and encouraging prompt reporting.
Cities like Indore — and countless others across the country — must recognise that true cleanliness begins with safe water. Without it, development claims ring hollow, and civic awards lose credibility. Unless India urgently cleans up its water management practices, tragedies like this will recur, turning an essential resource into a silent killer.