The coronavirus-induced lockdown has affected the annual quality testing of drinking water sources in Maharashtra, with nearly 1.5 lakh such facilities remaining unchecked, as per official figures.

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According to data of the Maharashtra drinking water and sanitation department, there are 2,12,642 water sources notified in the state, of which samples of only 62,482 could be tested while 1,50,160 water sources still remain untested.

Every year, the Maharashtra government carries out quality testing of notified drinking water sources in the state.

It helps in finding out the quality of water and to undertake preventive measures, if needed, a senior official from the drinking water and sanitation department said.

"Before the lockdown, the target was to carry out tests on samples of some two lakh water sources. However, due to severe restrictions, only samples from 62,482 water sources could be tested till mid-June. Samples from the remaining water sources are still not collected, he said.

The untested water sources include 63,000 from the Marathwada region, which remains perennially dry and in highly dependent on groundwater supply, the official said.

The Pune-based Groundwater Surveys and Development Agency has already written to the chief executive officers of all zilla parishads in the state, asking them to send the samples for testing at the earliest, he added.

First Published:Jun 22, 2020 12:25 PM IST