PHE water safe, claims Govt

SHILLONG: In the wake of reports that the water supplied by the PHE department to residents of the city was acidic and unfit for consumption, the State government on Sunday clarified that the water supplied by the PHE department was safe.
Allaying fears, a senior government official said after proper testing by the concerned agencies the water was found to be fit for human consumption.
The assurance came after news reports in the media had quoted members of KHNAM youth wing stating that the pH value of the drinking water which stands at 5.7 after testing was acidic and not fit for human consumption. KHNAM members had taken samples from water storage area of Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme at 4½ Mile, Upper Shillong,   for testing at Pasture Institute.
Principal Secretary in charge PHE, P.W. Ingty, however, said the department has carried out proper investigation and testing and subsequently it was established that the water was fit for consumption.
The official said that as per the report following the test carried out by the State Pollution Control Board at Pasture Institute after collecting water from the same source at 4½ Mile, Upper Shillong, it was found that the pH value of water was within permissible limit.