KARACHI, May 17: Laboratory tests have proved that the water being consumed by the residents of a village in Gadap Town is heavily loaded with E.coli (fecal coliform bacteria) and is unfit for human consumption unless treated scientifically, say city government officials.

The City Government’s Executive District Officer of the Health Department, Dr A.D. Sajnani, told Dawn on Thursday that all the samples of water, which had been collected from different points in Haji Hussain Baloch Goth after reports of diarrhoeal episodes about 12 days back, were found significantly contaminated.

“I will request the authorities concerned to look into the matter on a priority basis and ensure a supply of potable water to the villagers,” he said in reply to a question.

About 50 people, aged between 10 and 60 years, including women and children, complained of vomiting and dysentery on May 6, reportedly after consuming water from a seldom used well in UC-3, Gadap Town.

About 15 of them were rushed to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for emergency treatment, while the rest of the patients were attended to at a medical camp set up by the health department of the city government. None of the patients was diagnosed with a severe case of gastroenteritis, though many of them had to be re-hydrated.

The affected village comprises about 125 households totalling around 1,000 people.

Like people of some other UCs in Gadap Town, the population of UC-3 did not have the privilege of piped water and had to rely on subsoil or surface water available from ponds, wells and drains, said an official acquainted with the population in Malir and Gadap Towns’ villages off the Super Highway.

It was said that the situation deteriorated only when the people started drawing water for washing, cooking and drinking purposes from on almost abandoned well, in which subsoil water and seepages from agricultural fields and sewerage had accumulated.

The city government staff had drawn samples not only from the well but also from other wells, nearby ponds, and home water reservoirs to ascertain their chemical contents and overall quality of drinking water in the affected area.

The District Officer of the Quality Control Department of the City Government, Dr Abdul Jabbar, said that laboratory tests of all the 11 samples suggested that the water was highly contaminated, contained E.coli, among other substances, and was not fit for human consumption. Residents should either stop using the contaminated water or get it treated prior to consumption, he noted.

According to scientists, E.coli or Escherich coli is a type of fecal coliform bacteria, commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals. Its presence in water is a strong indication of recent sewage or animal waste contamination. Sewage may contain many types of disease-causing organisms.

Some strains of E.coli bacteria produce a potent toxin that causes severe diarrhoea and in some cases renal failure and deaths, say reports, suggesting that detection of E.coli does, however, necessitate an immediate investigation of the water supply system in order to identify and eliminate the source of pollution.

When contacted, a chief engineer of the KWSB, Qutub Shaikh, said that the provision of water and sanitation facilities to a number of villages and localities fell within the responsibilities of administration of the town concerned or respective union council.

“Haji Hussain Baloch Goth is yet to be taken over by the KWSB for proper water supply and sewerage management,” he added.

The official said that under a recently approved plan of the government there was likelihood that the village in question would start receiving water through tankers shortly.

Dr Sajnani said that area people had already been provided with chlorine tablets, while the wells were also being disinfected with some chemicals. We are also preparing for public health education in the case of the goth’s population. Sources of contamination will also be checked, he said.