Over 393 water samples in Pune district were declared unfit for drinking by the State Public Health Laboratory during May and June.
Rural areas reported higher contamination rates compared to urban regions including Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.
Waterborne illnesses like diarrhoea, hepatitis, and typhoid rose significantly during this period.
Pune, 1st August 2025: A recent report by the State Public Health Laboratory has revealed that more than 390 drinking water samples collected from Pune district in May and June were found to be unfit for consumption. These samples included those from both rural areas and urban limits under Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).
Water samples are regularly tested for quality at the state laboratory, and municipal bodies also send their internal test reports for review. Based on these, the state publishes a monthly water quality report.
In May, a total of 22,821 water samples were tested in Pune. Of these, 192 (0.8%) were found contaminated. Rural regions saw a contamination rate of 3.66%, with 103 out of 2,812 samples testing positive for pollutants. In urban areas, 89 out of 20,009 samples were found contaminated, a rate of 0.44%.
In June, contamination increased despite fewer samples. Of the 22,433 samples tested, 261 (1%) were found contaminated. Rural areas again showed higher contamination: 149 out of 3,048 samples (4.89%) were unsafe. Urban areas reported 112 contaminated samples out of 19,385 (0.58%).
The contamination has coincided with a rise in waterborne diseases across Pune. According to the PMC's health department, May saw 911 cases of acute diarrhoea, 12 cases of dysentery, 7 of hepatitis, and 16 cases of typhoid. The numbers surged in June, with 1,226 cases of acute diarrhoea, 12 of hepatitis, and 17 of typhoid.
The data points to a worrying trend, especially in rural parts of the district, where water contamination and disease outbreaks are rising. Authorities are being urged to take immediate corrective measures to ensure safe drinking water and prevent further health issues.
