Fresh concerns over drinking water safety have gripped Ludhiana, Punjab's industrial hub, in the wake of tragic deaths linked to water contamination in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The spotlight now reveals a precarious local infrastructure, with the city operating without a functioning in-house water testing laboratory and a significant portion of its groundwater supply remaining untreated.
A City Without a Lab
The Municipal Corporation's own laboratory, which previously conducted only two basic tests, has been closed indefinitely. This shutdown occurred after the civic body failed to renew the contract for its sole lab assistant and did not purchase the necessary chemical reagents for testing. This critical gap leaves Ludhiana entirely dependent on external facilities to verify the safety of the water consumed by its residents.
Currently, the city relies on the laboratory at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) for analysis. Ludhiana's water supply is managed through a decentralized network of 16 sub-zones. While testing volumes triple during the monsoon season to prevent disease outbreaks, the absence of an in-house facility creates severe bottlenecks in the monitoring process.
Key data from the past year highlights the scale of the challenge. Officials tested approximately 10,000 water samples last year. They recorded a contamination rate of about 5% in 2025, which they claim was subsequently addressed. The system faces its greatest pressure during the rainy months, when testing frequency increases by 300% to combat common groundwater infiltration.
The Alarming Chlorination Gap
The primary source of water for Ludhiana's residents is groundwater drawn from over 1,300 tube wells. However, a startling 369 of these wells are currently delivering water without any chlorination. The reason is a lack of essential dosing equipment at these sites, leaving the water vulnerable to bacterial contamination.
Kamal, the nodal officer of the Operation and Maintenance cell, addressed the issue. "We are going to enhance the chlorination of existing tube wells to kill bacteria," he stated. He assured that "dozers will be installed at the remaining tube wells shortly," confirming that the project report for this implementation is already finalized.
Internal Calls for a "Smart Lab" Overhaul
Within the Municipal Corporation, voices are rising to demand a complete overhaul of the water testing system. An official, speaking anonymously, stressed the urgent need for a government-certified "Smart Lab" capable of comprehensive chemical and biological analysis.
"The MC needs a facility where all types of contaminants can be tested in-house to ensure results are beyond question," the official emphasized. Proposing a interim solution, the official added, "If a dedicated lab isn't feasible, we must at least establish a dedicated MC wing at PAU to handle samples in larger volumes on a daily basis."
Shared Responsibility for Safety
While outlining plans to fix systemic failures, city officials are also placing some responsibility on the public. Nodal officer Kamal pointed out that as the city works on infrastructure upgrades, residents must proactively inspect their own household water connections. The concern is that aging private pipes could allow sewage or untreated groundwater to seep into the domestic supply, a risk that individual vigilance can help mitigate.
The situation in Ludhiana underscores a wider urban challenge in India: maintaining robust, transparent, and swift water quality monitoring systems. The closure of the city's lab and the chlorination gap represent significant vulnerabilities that require immediate and sustained attention from civic authorities to prevent a public health crisis.
