Sewage, industrial waste causing Bangalore water pollution

Sewage and industrial waste has taken toll on ground water in this Silicon city, with many areas revealing nitrate concentration and other pollutants, which can cause serious health problems, a recent survey said.

The survey on the groundwater quality in Bangalore, wherein samples were collected and analaysed for critical parameters like total dissolved solids, hardness, nitrate and iron, indicated that over 50 per cent of it was not potable.

Out of 918 water samples, collected from 735 locations, it was found that in 370 locations, the ground water was not suitable for domestic purposes, Dr M Basappa Reddy, Director Mines and Geology, which conducted the survey, told PTI.

While 74 samples out of 100 revealed "bacteriological pollution", 262 samples showed more than permissible limit of 50 mg/l of nitrate, which can result in Blue Baby disease or Methyglobomia wherein the whole haemoglobin content in the body turns blue which in turn may lead to cancer, he said.

"Infact, two cases of Blue Baby disease involving an eight year-old girl and a 21 year-old girl were recently reported and treated in private hospital here", Shashi Rekha, Chief Chemist of the Department, said.

Concentration of total dissolved solids that could lead to decrease in palatability and gastro-intestinal irritation, was observed in four to five pockets where it was in excess of 2000 mg/L, which was the permissible limit in the absence of potable water source, he said.

For drinking water, however, the permissible limit for total dissolved solids was 2000 mg/L, he added.