A shocking technical report from the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC), backed by independent audits, has exposed a systemic failure that jeopardizes the safety of drinking water for the entire city. The core issue is a crumbling 'hybrid' infrastructure that is buckling under the pressure of urban growth, creating an invisible health hazard.
The Invisible Threat: How Sewage Sneaks Into Water Lines
The IMC's technical note provides a critical explanation for the contamination. The problem stems from the city's intermittent water supply. When the supply is turned off, the pipelines empty out, creating a 'negative pressure' or vacuum inside them. This vacuum actively sucks in sewage and polluted groundwater through microscopic cracks and weakened joints in the old pipes.
Since the contamination is drawn inward, no outward leak is visible. This makes the pollution undetectable until residents start falling ill. The report highlights that many of these critical pipelines are over 30 to 50 years old, having suffered from deferred maintenance due to financial constraints.
Ward 11: A Case Study of a Flawed Hybrid System
The crisis in Ward 11 (Bhagirathpura) exemplifies the dangers of the patchwork infrastructure. Historically, this area depended on tubewells. When Narmada river water was introduced as a new source, it was simply fed into the existing, ageing network of pipes.
A specialized 'sumpwell' designed to treat tubewell water before distribution was planned years ago but was never commissioned. As a result, Narmada water and potentially contaminated groundwater now flow through the same decrepit pipes, which are often laid alarmingly close to sewer lines, increasing the risk of cross-contamination.
A Massive Financial Deficit and the Road to a Solution
Official sources point to a staggering financial gap that underpins this crisis. It costs the IMC approximately Rs 400 crore annually to operate the water system. A huge portion of this—Rs 21 crore per month—is spent solely on electricity to pump Narmada water 550 metres uphill. In contrast, the city recovers only about Rs 80 crore per year through water taxes and grants, creating a massive deficit that cripples maintenance.
The long-term solution is a comprehensive infrastructure overhaul estimated at Rs 3,358 crore. Under the central government's Amrut 2.0 scheme, the IMC plans to replace 545 km of old pipelines and lay 1,000 km of new distribution lines. This shift to a 24x7 pressurized water supply would eliminate the negative pressure that currently allows sewage to enter.
However, with a Rs 1,000 crore funding gap, the city is in negotiations with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for a loan to finance this critical project. Collector Shivam Verma confirmed to TOI, "We are working on the plan to provide 24X7 water supply to Indore and thus, all the possible ways to develop the infrastructure are being explored."
The findings present a clear challenge: bridging the funding gap is essential to transforming Indore's water network from a public health risk into a secure, reliable system for its growing population.
