COIMBATORE: Suspected groundwater contamination has been reported by residents in the surroundings of the Vellalore dumpyard in Coimbatore city. As borewell water turned unusually yellow and foamy, locals suspect that leachate from the long-standing garbage dump may be affecting the groundwater in the area.
According to residents, water drawn from borewells on Monday morning was darker yellow than usual and even contained foam as it flowed through taps.
People living in the nearby areas of Vellalore dumpyard say borewell water was found discoloured earlier too, but the situation this time appears worse than before.
"We have seen discoloured water earlier too, but this time it was shocking. The water was deep yellow and had froth in it. We are worried about using it even for basic household purposes," said S Rohini, a resident of Mahalingapuram.
Another resident, Dharmalingam from Konavaikkalpalayam, said families in the locality are increasingly dependent on private water tankers. "The corporation's supply is not sufficient for our daily needs. We rely on borewell water, but when that also becomes unusable, we are forced to spend money buying water from outside," the resident said.
Social activist and Secretary of the Kurichi-Vellalore Pollution Prevention Action Committee, KS Mohan, said complaints regarding the issue have been shared with officials of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB). "People depend on borewells because the municipal water supply is inadequate. Today (Monday), the water came out unusually yellow with foam. Similar incidents had occurred earlier, too," he said.
According to him, localities such as Mahalingapuram, Konavaikkalpalayam and Sriram Nagar have repeatedly reported such problems in recent years.
Residents have urged the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) and the TNPCB to investigate the cause and implement long-term measures to prevent further contamination of groundwater in the region. Many fear that without urgent intervention, the situation could worsen and pose serious health risks.
A senior official of the TNPCB told TNIE that they have already taken samples of the contaminated water and have sent them to the lab for testing. In the meantime, the officials have also urged the people to refrain from using the water.
The dumpyard has often been at the centre of environmental concerns owing to the pile-up of tonnes of waste collected from across the city over the years.