Kolkata is a city with deep heritage and a rich cultural fabric, yet it faces issues when it comes to water quality. For many residents of older Kolkata homes, making sure if consistent access to safe, clean, and healthy drinking water is an ongoing concern.
In this blog, we will explore the major water quality issues faced by these households, why they matter, and how advanced water purification is becoming an important part of healthier urban lifestyles.
Why Water Quality Matters in Kolkata
Water is an important part of life, and yet in many older Kolkata neighbourhoods, residents face daily uncertainties about the water that comes out of the tap. Despite municipal efforts to treat water, ageing infrastructure and environmental pressure mean that what finally reaches your home may be far from ideal for drinking or cooking, even if it looks very clear. Additionally, a range of local factors, from outdated pipelines to seasonal turbidity changes in the source water, contribute to these issues.
Understanding the Cause of the Water Quality Issue
1. Turbidity and Sediment in Water Supply
A major challenge for Kolkata’s water supply is that it comes from the city’s dependence on sources like the Hooghly River, where sediment and suspended particles often fluctuate beyond ideal levels before treatment. For example, the Palta water treatment plant, which services a large swathe of north and central Kolkata, has faced high levels of turbidity at times due to the stormwater flows, which make the water purification more difficult.
Even with treatment, older pipelines can allow fine particles to enter all the domestic plumbing, which leads to cloudy water that tastes unpleasant or feels gritty. While most of the sediments themselves are not harmful, it often carry other contaminants that are, and this is especially concerning for Indian households with vulnerable members like children or elders.
2. Pipe Leakages, Cross-Contamination & Ageing Infrastructure
Many older homes in Kolkata completely rely on ageing water supply lines. Over decades, these pipelines can crack or erode, increasing the risks of contamination from groundwater or nearby sewage lines. This problem is not unique to private homes, and it is a systemic issue in many parts of the city where infrastructure upgrades have lagged behind population growth.
3. High Levels of Dissolved Solids & Minerals
In certain parts of Kolkata, especially where groundwater is mixed with municipal supplies, the total dissolved solids or TDS, a measure of mineral content, will be high. Besides, elevated TDS is not always harmful on its own, but it can affect the taste, scaling on utensils, and can impact the domestic appliances, making your water feel unpalatable.
4. Seasonal Variations & Monsoon Impacts
Kolkata’s climate also plays an important role. During the monsoon season, heavy rains and runoff can introduce sediments and other matter into water sources. It can effectively spike the turbidity load and make the municipal treatment more challenging. Many residents in Kolkata, especially in older homes, may notice that the water smell or clarity changes significantly from season to season.
Why Choose DrinkPrime
In a city like Kolkata, where ageing pipelines, high iron content, seasonal turbidity shifts, and fluctuating mineral levels affect the household water quality, relying completely on municipal treatement is often not enough, and this is where investing in a reliable water purification system plays an important role in improving urban water safety. Unlike conventional one-size-fits-all water purifiers, DrinkPrime focuses on localised water analysis to understand the specific contaminants present in different neighbourhoods.
Additionally, water testing across Kolkata has shown high amounts of iron content in several residential areas, especially in homes with ageing plumbing systems. Moreover, an excess amount of iron can not affect the taste, odours, and health, but also can cause reddish staining on utensils, fixtures, and storage containers, which is a common complaint in older Kolkata homes. So, to address this, DrinkPrime has introduced a specialised iron removal filter, which is built specifically for older homes in Kolkata, where iron contamination is much more prevalent. This filter is designed to effectively reduce excess amounts of iron before further purification stages, hence making sure that you get clearer and healthier-tasting water.
In addition to iron filtration, DrinkPrime’s water purification systems can effectively combine advanced RO and UV technologies along with remineralisation to maintain the overall balanced mineral content. This completely makes sure that the water is not only safe from all the harmful contaminants but also healthy and safe to drink.
Summary
In summary, access to safe and clean drinking water should not be an everyday worry, yet for many families living in slum homes across Kolkata, it is very common. From turbidity and ageing pipelines to high TDS levels and excess amount of iron content, there are multiple factors that can affect the water quality, which can completely affect the quality of water that reaches your glass. So, by choosing an ideal solution that is customised to local water conditions, residents can take proactive control of their families. Additionally, with its focus on localised water analysis, advanced water purification technologies and a specialised iron removal filter that is designed for older Kolkata homes, DrinkPrime offers a practical and reliable way to address the city’s unique water challenges.
Get 7 Days Risk Free Trial
