What happened: activists’ tap-sample allegations of sewage contamination vs BMC testing

Activists in Bhopal alleged that drinking water in areas affected by the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy showed sewage contamination, using the presence of faecal coliform (bacteria indicator that often signals sewage pollution) as evidence.

Activists, representing survivors through four organisations, reported collecting 63 water samples from taps across 30 localities around the former Union Carbide factory site between July 2 and July 22. Activists reported the following results:

43 out of 63 samples were reportedly sewage-contaminated, with faecal coliform confirmed in those samples.Activists claimed 12 localities had all samples contaminated.Activists claimed that some contaminated localities included areas where pipelines had been laid recently.

Activists also alleged source-wise differences in contamination. Activists reported differing contamination levels for water sources such as water from the city’s upper lake and Kolar dam, and they claimed some samples from the Narmada river were negative.

Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) rejected the activists’ findings. BMC stated that its own July testing found no impurities in 61 samples, which directly conflicts with the activists’ reported detection results.

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