Aizawl Staring at a Water Crisis? Tlawng River Turns Turbid, Pumping Operations on Hold

Turbidity levels soared to 864 NTU, much higher than the maximum permissible limit of 5NTU for safe water treatment

Mizoram’s capital city Aizawl might be staring at a water crisis. According to Public Health Engineering (PHE) authorities, the department is grappling with significant operational challenges stemming from soil erosion and the rampant, indiscriminate dumping of soil causing turbidity levels in local water source, mainly the Tlawng River to spike dramatically, forcing the temporary suspension of pumping operations.

According to department officials, turbidity levels soared to a staggering 864 NTU as of yesterday vastly exceeding the maximum permissible limit of 5NTU for safe water treatment. In an emergency response, the department has resorted to treating water with turbidity as high as 700 NTU using chemicals, though such treatment is far from ideal and not sustainable in the long term.

“In just the month of May alone, we had to suspend operations at both Phase 1 and Phase 2 pumping stations for a total of 12 days,” reported Prof. Lalnilawma, Public Health Engineering (PHE) Minister.

Ironically, a season typically associated with water abundance poses serious water access problems. Officials attribute the crisis to inadequate infrastructure and poor urban planning. Improper disposal of soil and the lack of effective soil erosion control measures have emerged as primary culprits in the recurring turbidity crisis.

The Minister underscored the importance of improved rainwater management. While rainwater harvesting is mandated under existing building codes, enforcement remains weak. He also mentioned that proper implementation of rainwater harvesting systems would alleviate many of the challenges that the city is currently facing and calls for stricter enforcement and public cooperation.

As of now, Aizawl has not experienced an actual water shortage, but officials warn that continued disruption of pumping operations due to high turbidity could pose serious problems in the near future.

Also Read: Mizoram: Ban on Bangladeshis and Myanmar Nationals Buying Land in Lawngtlai

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