The water treatment plant at Panbazar

Dec. 19: For about two weeks now, several Guwahati homes have been receiving muddy water which does not look fit for even washing clothes or utensils, let alone drinking.

Open any tap and out flows a suspiciously brown liquid — supplied by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation — which no one who cares for his/her stomach or constitution would dare to drink.

“For the past several days, the quality of water that is supplied twice a day by the municipal corporation has been abysmal. Although it does not smell foul, it is very muddy. It looks so dirty that I cannot even use it for washing. This water is supposed to be treated by the GMC. If that is the case, then why are we receiving such dirty water?” asked Homen Bhattacharjee, resident of Silpukhuri.

The municipal water supply currently covers 30 per cent of the total water requirement in the city.

All residents are supposed to pay a water tax, which comprises 7.5 per cent to 10 per cent of the municipal tax.

While people with a permanent municipal water connection are charged a water tax of 10 per cent, those collecting water from a nearby connection are charged 7.5 per cent.

“It has been nearly two weeks since we have been receiving this water. We are fortunate to have other facilities to fetch drinking water; otherwise, it would have been very difficult, as it is impossible to drink this muddy water. I have also been suffering from a stomach ailment for the past three days and I think I may have drunk a little while rinsing,” said R. Barman, another resident of Silpukhuri.

In some areas, the supply has been affected since yesterday. “The quality of the municipal water supply was fine until yesterday. But all of a sudden today, dirty water began pouring from our taps. Though we have a well, the iron content of the water from it is very high,” said Rukmini Hazarika, a resident of the AIDC area.

GMC officials said there was a possibility of a leak in the underground pipes.

“A leakage may have occurred in one of the underground pipes supplying water to several areas. People only have to inform us and our municipal workers are sent to the spot to repair it. We suspend the water supply when the repair is on. While it takes only a few hours to rectify a small problem, it may take a day or two to repair a larger damage,” said GMC commissioner Puru Gupta.

Municipal officials also claim that there are many residents who evade water tax.

“A large percentage of the city’s population does not pay water tax. They do not even pay the arrears on time. The tax collected is utilised for providing civic facilities. Hence, it is difficult when we have to bear the entire expense, without the public paying their dues,” said Dutta.