- E. Coli found in Indore school's RO water.
- IIT Madras study confirms post-RO water contamination.
- Contamination often due to poor storage and maintenance.
Naidunia Correspondent, Indore: Millions of people rely on RO (Reverse Osmosis) purifiers for safe drinking water every day in homes, schools, and offices. However, the recent detection of Escherichia coli (E. Coli) and coliform bacteria in RO-treated drinking water at Shishukunj School in Indore, Madhya Pradesh has raised serious concerns about their effectiveness.
IIT Madras Study Reveals A Concerning Trend
The incident leads to a recent study carried out by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and its partner institutions. Researchers tested 262 post-RO water samples collected from 216 households in Chennai. The study found that 31 per cent of the samples contained E. coli bacteria. According to the researchers, the problem is often not the RO machine itself but post-treatment contamination. This means the water becomes contaminated after passing through the RO system, usually during storage, handling, or distribution.
What Does An RO System Do?
An RO purifier is designed to remove dissolved salts (TDS), heavy metals, and most microorganisms from water. However, clean water does not depend on the RO membrane alone. If the UV unit is not working properly, filters are not replaced on time, the storage tank is not cleaned regularly, or the pipeline becomes contaminated, bacteria can enter the purified water again.
RO Water: Myths vs Facts
Myth: If you have an RO purifier, your drinking water is completely safe.
Fact: Safe drinking water also depends on clean storage tanks, pipelines, taps, and regular maintenance of the purifier.
Myth: Low TDS means the water is safe to drink.
Fact: TDS only measures dissolved solids in water. It does not indicate whether bacteria or viruses are present.
Myth: Replacing the filters is enough to keep the water safe.
Fact: The UV unit, storage tank, pipelines, and taps should also be cleaned and checked regularly.
Myth: Once an RO system is installed, there is no need to test the water.
Fact: Schools, hospitals, hostels, and other large institutions should carry out regular microbiological testing to ensure the water is free from harmful bacteria.