E Coli bacteria found in railway station drinking water at several locations, says CAG report

E Coli bacteria, usually found in human and animal excreta, was detected in water samples collected from coolers at railway stations across the country, according to a recent report by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

The bacteria was found in drinking water samples at eight out of 49 railway stations, including three in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, the CAG said in an August 5 report titled “Passenger Amenities and Sanitation at Non-Suburban Railway Stations in Indian Railways”.

E Coli bacteria was found in water coolers at Coimbatore and Palakkad Junction in the Southern Railway region, Hyderabad in the South Central Railway region, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Bhiwandi Road, Kalyan and Lonavala in the Central Railway region and Madhupur in the Eastern Railway region.

E coli in water indicates faecal contamination and can cause a range of diseases, including food poisoning, diarrhoea and urinary tract infections.

The CAG report also said that total coliform bacteria, including E Coli, were found in drinking water samples collected from platform taps at 49 stations.

Total coliforms are a group of bacteria that are usually found in soil and in human and animal waste. Total coliform counts are an indicator of the sanitary level of water supply.

The audit conducted by the CAG also found that bacteriological tests on parameters other than total...

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