HYDERABAD, July 23: People are complaining about contaminated drinking water and poor sewerage system in several localities in the city.

The water supplied by the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) is highly turbid and at times containing sewage.

Syed Mairaj, who lives in Latifabad Unit-8 says that the muddy and hazardous water is causing dysentery and other abdominal diseases. Even after boiling, this water is not fit for drinking.

He said that when he complained about the problem, Wasa officials said that almost the entire sewerage system in the district had been damaged and sewage was seeping into water supply lines.

He said that after switching on the pumping-machine, he would have to check water after every 15 minutes, otherwise the water tank would get contaminated and is water could not be used for washing clothes, dishes or for ablution.

Nadeem Ansari of Makki Shah says the situation requires replacement of the entire sewerage system.

He said: “Even without rain, one sees streets turning into muddy ponds. We pay for sanitation services but there is no arrangement for cleanliness.”

He said the Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA) and its subsidiary Wasa had failed to provide basic amenities like clean water and draining out of sewage stagnating in residential areas.

Sarfaraz Colony resident Saleem Qaimkhani said people were facing an acute water shortage and there was no relief despite repeated complaints made to the Wasa SDO.

Residents of Sheedi Goth in Qasimabad also complained about the supply of contaminated water.

Traders of main Cloth Market where dirty water often accumulates on streets said that they had repeatedly requested the authorities to drain out stagnant dirty water but no action was taken.

They said in the weeks ahead of Eid season, the number of buyers increases. And shoppers face a lot of problems.

Other areas facing the problem are Sahrish Nagar, Sheedi Goath, Mir Fateh Colony and Ali Colony and unit Nos. 4, 8, 11 and 12 in Latifabad and colonies of Sarfaraz, Pathan, Barrage, Dadan Shah and Liaquat, Hali Road, Islamabad and Hyderabad Site.

Ameer of Jamaat-i-Islami of Hyderabad district Shaikh Shoukat Ali said it appeared that there was no administration in the city with many localities looking like ponds and heaps of garbage lying all around.

Wasa managing director Saleemuddin blamed electricity loadshedding for water shortage and supply of contaminated water.

He said a power supply disruption of two hours prevented the supply of six million gallons of water in the district.

He said there were no complaints of muddy water but he would check complaints about turbidity. All filter plants were working properly, he claimed.

He said there were four filter plants at Hala Naka, Jamshoro road, Paretabad and Latifabad No. 4 which supplied 60 million gallons per day while Hyderabad needed 80 million gallons of filtered water.

There was no water shortage in winter when there was no long hours of power outage, he said.

He admitted that main drains were chocked with polythene bags and garbage and a drain blocked even for a few minutes would flood roads and streets.