Clean water tanks regularly, BMC's advice to societies

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has come up with guidelines for cleaning water tanks in private societies to reduce the risk of any contamination. As per guidelines, tanks should be cleaned twice a year by contractors registered with the corporation. The policy has been prepared by the water engineer department of the corporation.

This comes after many societies started bombarding BMC with their complaints regarding the contaminated water supply. However, in some of the places, it has been found that contaminated water is being supplied due to non-cleaning of underground or terraced water tanks in buildings.

In 2012-13, almost 17 per cent of water samples were found unsafe for drinking.

Later on, Municipal Corporation took several measures to reduce the amount of contaminated water. This included repairing waterways, building reservoirs and other works. As a result, the BMC improved the system and in 2018-19 unsafe water samples came down to 0.70 per cent.

Moss and other garbage should be removed using chlorine and a high-pressure jet. If there is no outlet to use a suction pump, use ISO/FDA authorised chlorine powder to disinfect the tank. Users should send a sample of water from a clean tank for testing at a corporation lab situated at Dadar.

The water coming from the dam is treated at Bhandup Water Treatment Plant and the purified water is supplied to Mumbaikars. However, many times complaints of contaminated water supply are coming to the departmental office of the Municipal Corporation. Daily samples of the supplied water are collected and tested in a laboratory in the North Division.

Here are the guidelines by the BMC:

• The water tank should be cleaned and disinfected at least twice a year.
• The sealed sample of water in the cleaned tank should be submitted with the signature of the office bearers of the organization at each time by paying the fee for testing in the municipal laboratory.
• Certain conditions have been imposed on the registration of contractors appointed to clean water tanks.
• Contractor should have at least 3 years of experience in cleaning water tanks.
• The supervisor appointed by the contractor to clean the water tanks should have passed the 12th examination from the science branch.