Amid Indore water contamination crisis, Apollo doctor shares foolproof way to protect yourself from water-borne diseases and deadly infections

Water is life—but in Indore and parts of India, contaminated drinking water is turning that life-saving resource into a serious health threat. Apollo doctor Dr Sudhir Kumar highlights how faecal contamination is leading to outbreaks of waterborne diseases like cholera, typhoid, hepatitis E, and severe diarrhoea. The scary part? The danger is often invisible: clear, odourless water can still harbour harmful pathogens. But simple, practical steps can dramatically reduce the risk and keep families safe.

Dr Sudhir Kumar explains that contaminated water can carry coliform bacteria, cholera, typhoid, Campylobacter jejuni, hepatitis E, and other diarrheal pathogens. These can cause dehydration, sepsis, liver inflammation, and in severe cases, death—especially in children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.

Reliable method for drinking water

To protect yourself, Dr Sudhir Kumar suggests the most reliable method during outbreaks. It is boiling the water. Bring it to a rolling boil for 1–3 minutes to kill bacteria, viruses, and parasites. RO and UV water filters also help, but only when maintained properly. A neglected filter can become a contamination source itself.

Dr Sudhir Kumar's advice

Never trust water based on appearance alone. Even crystal-clear water may be unsafe. Additional precautions include washing hands with soap before meals and after using the toilet, avoiding ice, raw fruits, and cut vegetables during outbreaks, using boiled or filtered water for brushing teeth, cleaning overhead tanks regularly, and reporting foul smells or unusual illnesses to local authorities.

Dr Sudhir Kumar stresses that safe drinking water is not optional—it’s lifesaving. Until the municipal water supply is confirmed safe, simple measures like boiling water remain the most effective, low-cost protection against deadly waterborne infections.

Indore's water crisis

Bhagirathpura in Indore has been hit by a water contamination outbreak since late December 2025. The crisis began when a pipeline near a local police outpost leaked, allowing sewage to mix with drinking water. Officials confirmed bacterial contamination, and as per reports by IANS, it resulted in hundreds of residents being hospitalised and thousands screened in the lower-income area. Authorities have suspended responsible personnel, dispatched water tankers, and started pipeline repairs, though residents still report foul-smelling taps. Door-to-door health surveys continue, with mild cases treated at home.