Kendrapara govt hospital water contaminated: Study

Potable water sources in premier government hospital in Kendrapara have been contaminated by harmful bacteria, according to a latest study of water samples.
The level of contamination is to pose a health hazard to those drinking water from hospital taps. Harmful Escherichia coli (E-coli) bacteria were detected from water samples, health department officials said.
Samples were drawn from the district headquarters hospital and other places on August 12, officials said.
The samples were sent for laboratory test to bacteriologist and pathologist wings of the state health department. The test report found growth of E-coli, they said, adding the test findings found E-coli presence beyond the permissible limit of 100 colonies per 10 ML of water.

"E-coli bacteria have been traced in the hospital drinking water as per bacteriological study. The hospital is drawing drinking water from the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) supply. We have initiated measures to de-contaminate the water source. Water purifiers are being installed to ensure the supply of safe drinking water," Kendrapara Chief District Medical Officer Binayak Prusty said.
"E-coli can cause illness, either stomach disorder or illness outside of the intestinal tract or skin infections. Taking bath in E-coli contaminated water could also cause skin allergies or irritation to human beings," he said.

In view of the concern over contamination of water, the department has taken steps on a war-footing to disinfect the drinking water sources and make it free from bacteria. Leakage in underground pipelines might have led to the water contamination, Executive Engineer, PHED, Cuttack Division, Jaladhar Swain said.

The department has taken steps to supply clean drinking water. Water is being subjected to multiple treatments before it reaches the taps. Treated water is again being filtered at cooler points. There is also possibility that water might have contaminated at the water reservoir points at the hospital, he said.
The water tanks need to be scrubbed and cleaned periodically to ensure hygiene and safety, Swain added.
The unsafe drinking water sources in hospitals amply portray the virtual breakdown of government-run health service network in Kendrapara, which is incidentally the home district of Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, said senior Congress leader and former MLA Ganeswar Behera.