NEW DELHI: The Public Health Department of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has revealed consistent lapses in drinking water quality, raising serious concerns over residents’ health. According to a report accessed by this newspaper, the department collected 2,255 water samples from January 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025, out of which 409 samples failed the quality test. Despite ongoing testing and reporting, the situation has shown little improvement.
Between April 1 and June 30, 2025, the department collected 870 samples, of which 174 were found to be of low quality. A month-wise analysis of this period revealed that a minimum of 58 samples each month were substandard.
In the earlier period from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025, the civic agency found that at least 34 water samples every month were below safety standards. When questioned about action taken, the Public Health Department said it informs the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) about the low chlorine content in samples. However, as the MCD jointly collects water with the DJB, it has no jurisdiction to take punitive action or recommend action by other agencies.
The department cited contaminated water, unsafe food, and poor hygiene as key reasons for the surge in water-borne diseases.
The Public Health Department further informed that to treat patients of water-borne diseases, it has declared Hindu Rao hospital, Swami Dayanand hospital and Kasturba hospital as Sentinel Surveillance Hospital. The MCD has reserved 70 beds in Hindu Rao, 22 beds in Swami Dayanand and 75 beds in Kasturba Hospital.
The department, in its reply, has admitted 313 cases of Diarrhea, 6637 Dengue, 893 of Malaria and 284 of Chikungunya cases from 1st January 2024 to 30th June 2025. It has also admitted 11 deaths due to Dengue during the same period.