Water, the most fundamental human requirement, is currently the epicenter of a global equity crisis.
As of January 2026, the grim reality persists: 2.2 billion people worldwide lack safely managed drinking water. Driven by rapid urbanization and climate change, the crisis is as much about quality as it is about quantity. Globally, 44% of household wastewater returns to the environment untreated, creating a toxic cycle that pollutes the very sources we rely on. In India, this neglect is visible in our lifelines—groundwater samples now show alarming levels of nitrates (20%), fluoride (9%), and arsenic, threatening the health of millions.
Water contamination: a wake-up call
The new year has begun on a somber note for the residents of Indore, India’s perennial champion of cleanliness. A lethal water contamination incident in the Bhagirathpura area, which has tragically claimed 16 lives and left nearly 2,800 people ill, is currently being probed by scientists from the National Institute of Bacteriology (NIB).
This was no mysterious virus but a man-made catastrophe. The NIB probe confirms that the tap water was a cocktail of deadly pathogens, including E. coli and Vibrio cholerae.
Concurrently, Odisha’s urban centers struggle with a jaundice surge caused by fecal-oral transmission through cracked pipelines. These incidents are grim reminders that even the most decorated smart cities are only as safe as their underground infrastructure.
The anatomy of systemic failure:
The tragedy in Indore is a microcosm of a global epidemic of aging and neglected infrastructure. Systemic failures, replicated from Jackson, Mississippi, to Karachi, expose the lethal gap between treatment plants and household taps. According to 2025 WHO and UNICEF reports:
The Health Toll: Contaminated water remains a leading cause of DALYs (disability-adjusted life years). For children under five, waterborne diseases are responsible for nearly 20% of all deaths.
The Economic Impact: The World Bank estimates that water-related losses could cause a 6% decline in GDP for affected regions by 2050 due to healthcare costs and lost productivity.
The Urban Vacuum: While India’s Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) has achieved a remarkable 81% coverage in rural households, urban centers are falling through the cracks. Many urban networks suffer from negative pressure. When pipes are not pressurized 24/7, cracks act as vacuums, sucking in surrounding sewage—a design failure noted by committees as early as 1948.
Transparency and the power of reform:
Achieving SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) requires more than just laying pipes; it demands radical transparency. In Indore and Sambalpur, residents had complained of foul-smelling, muddy water for months before outbreaks peaked, yet systemic inertia delayed action.
In Odisha’s recent Khurda outbreak, authorities initially downplayed water quality concerns even as dozens fell ill, mirroring the transparency gap seen in Indore. This breakdown highlights the need for a shift toward Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models integrated with citizen vigilantes.
Case studies:
Puri, Odisha (Drink from Tap): In a landmark Indian success, Puri became the first city to provide 24×7 certified drinking water. By installing IoT-based real-time sensors and ensuring constant pressure, they eliminated the need for home filters and ended the vacuum effect that causes contamination.
Singapore (NEWater): By treating water as a strategic asset with sensor-to-boardroom transparency, Singapore maintains near 100% safety through independent auditing and advanced membrane technology.
Tirupur, Tamil Nadu: This PPP model demonstrated that private sector efficiency in operations and maintenance (O&M), combined with public oversight, can ensure reliability even in industrial hubs.
The way forward:
To safeguard human life and uphold the sanctity of health, we must move beyond the infrastructure-only mindset. The urgent call for action needs:
Mandatory 24×7 Pressurization: As seen in Puri, constant pressure is the only physical barrier to prevent sewage suction.
GIS-Based Mapping: Municipalities must use geographic information systems to identify points where water and sewage lines run parallel or intersect.
Decentralized Monitoring: Scaling the JJM success of training local women’s groups (Pani Samitis) to use field testing kits (FTKs) in urban wards can democratize quality control.
Zero-Tolerance Accountability: Legislative reforms are needed to hold officials legally liable for negligence, similar to the stringent water safety laws in the UK.
Our take:
Indore’s tragedy and the recent jaundice outbreak in Odisha serve as warnings for Asia’s urbanizing hubs. We cannot claim to be smart while citizens die from 19th-century diseases caused by aging, leaky infrastructure. Transitioning to water security requires mandatory 24/7 pressurization and radical transparency.
While climate change amplifies these challenges, the solution—investing in resilient, monitored infrastructure—must be prioritized today to ensure that the fluid sustaining life does not become a source of death.
