HYDERABAD: Almost all water filter and purification plants installed in Hyderabad in 2006 are on the verge of collapse while a couple of other functional are supplying drinking water which was injurious to health for want of change of cartridges.

This was stated in the annual report released by the Association for Research and Development of Rural Areas (Ardra) on Monday after examining the plants.

Ardra general secretary Dr Ilahi Bux said in the report that a team comprising Dr Ilahi Bukhsh, Dr Fasih Tariq, Rais Ahmed and others examined 50 water plants in four talukas Hyderabad City, Hyderabad Rural, Latifabad and Qasimabad.

Only 12 out of the 50 water filter plants were found functional but they, too, needed change of cartridges which had not been changed for one-and-a-half years. Residents of Hyderabad were using drinking water from these plants that was injurious to health as cisterns of the plants had not been cleaned over the period. A cartridge which is supposed to be changed every month costs Rs6,000.