A serious public health concern has emerged in Gurugram’s Sector 70A, where over 100 residents of BPTP Astaire Garden Society reportedly fell ill after consuming contaminated drinking water. The incident has raised alarm among residents and prompted intervention by health authorities.
Officials confirmed that water samples from around 50 households have been collected and sent to the Public Health Department’s laboratory for detailed testing. Meanwhile, the Civil Surgeon’s office has announced that a health camp will be organised on Saturday inside the society to assess the condition of affected residents.
Residents report foul-smelling, discoloured water
According to residents, water supplied to multiple blocks over the past week appeared brown, sticky, and muddy, accompanied by a strong sewage-like odour. Many believe that the contamination may have occurred due to a cross-connection between drinking water pipelines and a nearby sewage treatment plant, or because of unclean water tankers being used to meet supply shortages.
As the water quality deteriorated, residents began reporting health issues including vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and skin rashes. Each block reportedly saw multiple cases of illness, affecting children, elderly residents, and adults alike.
Medical treatment sought by residents
The Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA) stated that more than 30 people have already sought treatment at nearby clinics and hospitals. RWA General Secretary Arushi Shukla said the worst contamination was noticed around December 8, when a large number of residents fell sick.
She added that despite the situation, many residents are still forced to purchase drinking water at their own expense, as confidence in the supply has not been fully restored.
RWA holds maintenance agency responsible
RWA President Jaswant Rao blamed the builder’s maintenance agency for negligence and said both private and government laboratories have been approached for water testing. Initial field-level checks reportedly indicated high turbidity and bacterial presence in the water.
Residents have formally complained to the District Magistrate, Civil Surgeon, and Public Health Engineering Department, demanding a thorough investigation and accountability.
Builder’s maintenance agency responds
Responding to the allegations, BPTP Maintenance Services (BPMS) Managing Director Shyam Sundar said there was no permanent issue with water quality in the project. He stated that a formal complaint was registered with GMDA/MCG on December 9 (Complaint No. 116683).
According to him, GMDA later confirmed a canal breach affecting nearly 100 acres of farmland, which may have temporarily altered water quality in the area. Residents were informed through calls and emails, precautionary flushing was carried out, and supply was restored after checks.
He added that GMDA teams found the water quality satisfactory during inspection, overhead tanks are being cleaned as an additional safety measure, and laboratory test reports are awaited.
Authorities monitoring the situation
Health officials said further action will be taken once laboratory reports are received. Until then, residents have been advised to avoid drinking tap water and report any new symptoms immediately.
The incident has once again highlighted concerns around urban water safety, infrastructure monitoring, and emergency response in rapidly growing residential areas like Gurugram.
