The contaminated samples were taken from Khanugaon, Adampur Cantonment and Vajpayee Nagar areas. According to officials of the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC), a total of 250 water samples were tested on Wednesday, of which four were found unsafe. Two samples were collected near the Adampur Khanti area, one from a tube well near Vajpayee Nagar, and one from a well in Khanugaon.

Municipal authorities, however, maintained that the contamination is restricted to groundwater sources and not the city’s piped water supply. They said residents have been advised not to use groundwater for drinking or cooking purposes in the affected areas.

Despite these advisories, the situation on the ground remains worrying. In Khanugaon, sewage water has reportedly been flowing into a well for several days, contaminating water that is supplied to nearly 2,000 residents. Corporator Rehana Sultan’s representative, Mohd. Zaheer, documented the issue on video, showing sewage entering the well. He said a written complaint was submitted to the civic body around 15 days ago, but no corrective action was taken.

“People continued to drink this water because the problem was not addressed in time,” Zaheer said. Congress MLA Atif Akeel, who visited the area recently, also reprimanded municipal engineers over what he described as serious negligence.

In Adampur Cantonment, the issue is compounded by the presence of a large garbage dump. Five villages within a one-kilometre radius of the dumping site have long complained of polluted air and groundwater. Environmentalists say groundwater within an 800-metre radius has been severely affected, reducing agricultural productivity. A petition related to the issue is already pending before the National Green Tribunal.

Officials acknowledged that structural problems in Bhopal’s water infrastructure pose a long-term risk. Investigations have identified at least 22 wards where nearly 400 kilometres of water pipelines run parallel to sewage lines, increasing the chances of contamination due to leakages. Many of these iron pipelines have exceeded their lifespan and require replacement, a project estimated to cost around ₹500 crore.

The civic body said work is underway under the AMRUT-2 scheme to lay 750 kilometres of new pipelines. While officials insist the municipal supply remains safe, the detection of E. coli in groundwater has heightened public anxiety, especially in the wake of the Indore deaths. Residents have demanded stricter monitoring and faster action to prevent a potential health crisis in the state capital.