Civic body moots upgradation of water sample testing facility

Civic administration is planning to upgrade its water sample testing facility and increasing its capacity to be able to test 1,300 samples per day.

In a bid to keep a check on rising water contamination levels,the civic administration is planning to upgrade its water sample testing facility and increasing its capacity to be able to test 1,300 samples per day.

The officials said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to develop its laboratory in Dadar into a state-of -the-art facility such as those used by pharmaceutical companies. The BMC has roped in National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) as consultants to upgrade its laboratory,which currently tests only 200 samples a day.

The new facility,which will be set up in six months time,will be able to test 1200-1300 samples everyday. Unlike the current lab,which takes about 72 hours to give the result of the samples tested,the new laboratory will be able to give water sample results in less than 24 hours,said officials.

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Typically it takes us 72 hours to test the water samples. We need to do it quicker to understand the source of the contamination, said a senior civic official.

Owing to lack of skilled manpower and facilities,the civic administration currently only collects samples from where complaints are received from residents or corporators. Once the laboratory is upgraded,systematic samples can be collected from each area or ward,said officials.

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