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At least 17 deaths in Indore have been linked to contaminated drinking water, triggering renewed scrutiny of urban water systems
A government audit found Indore lost up to 65% of its drinking water supply, with Bhopal losing nearly half
The Comptroller and Auditor General flagged major gaps in leak repairs, staffing shortages and under-delivery of water to households
The High Court has said access to clean water is a fundamental right and has sought a status report from the state government
Reports of a 17th alleged death linked to contaminated drinking water in Indore have intensified scrutiny of water management failures in Madhya Pradesh’s two largest cities, where official audits show massive losses of treated water and chronic gaps in supply.
According to reports published on January 6, 2025, the deceased had consumed only tea and snacks at a hotel in Bhagirathpura before falling ill. He later developed kidney failure and died. While families struggle to access a single glass of clean water, government data show that as much as 65 per cent of Indore’s drinking water supply was lost to wastage and leakages in 2018. Bhopal was not far behind, with losses estimated at around 50 per cent.
Five years on, ground conditions suggest little improvement.
A 2019 audit report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), covering the period from 2013-14 to 2017-18, documented extensive “non-revenue water” losses in both cities. In Bhopal, losses ranged between 30 per cent and 49 per cent, while in Indore they were estimated at between 65 per cent and 70 per cent.
The audit found a significant gap between the quantity of raw water drawn and the amount actually supplied to households. Although the Indore Municipal Corporation claimed in a gazette notification that non-revenue water was between 15 per cent and 26 per cent, the CAG said it was not satisfied with those figures.
Water losses fall into two categories. Physical losses include leakages from pipelines, joints, reservoirs and sump overflows. Non-physical losses include theft, unauthorised connections, faulty meters and wastage from open taps.
The audit also found that per capita water supply in both cities fell well short of official targets.
In Bhopal, the municipal corporation claimed it supplied 135 litres per person per day in 2017-18, meeting its target. The CAG, however, calculated actual supply at only 122 litres. In Indore, officials reported supplying 105 litres per person per day against a target of 150 litres, but the audit estimated real supply at just 58 litres.
The report also noted that in 2018, around 143,000 households in Bhopal and 268,000 households in Indore did not have water connections at all.
The CAG investigation found long delays in responding to water leakages, which it linked directly to poor water quality and shortages. A total of 3,530 leakage cases were reported across the two cities — 657 in Bhopal and 2,873 in Indore.
Of 105 cases examined in detail, leak repairs were delayed by between 22 and 182 days. The time taken to issue work orders ranged from 38 to 178 days in Bhopal and from 20 to 151 days in Indore. Even after work orders were issued, repairs took between one and six days in Bhopal and one to 12 days in Indore.
The audit attributed these delays to the absence of annual maintenance contracts for leak repairs. Over five years, Bhopal spent Rs 1.55 crore on repairing leaks, while Indore spent Rs 14.83 crore.
Staff shortages were also flagged. As of 2018, Bhopal faced a 29 per cent shortfall in technical, field and office staff involved in water supply, while 18 per cent of sanctioned posts were vacant in Indore.
The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court is hearing five public interest litigations related to the city’s contaminated water crisis. The court directed the state government to submit a status report by January 6, 2026.
In strong remarks, the court said access to clean drinking water is a fundamental right and “there can be no compromise” on the issue. It noted that the crisis had damaged Indore’s reputation as India’s cleanest city.
The next hearing is scheduled for 15 January. Meanwhile, hospital admissions continue to rise, with 38 new patients admitted on Tuesday. The state Congress party held protests in the affected areas the same day.
