𝐍𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞-𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐔𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐔𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

…𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒎𝒊𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔, 𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒄 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒂𝒑 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓

By Sonam Choden

Despite continuous monitoring and years of public health investment, urban water systems are showing troubling signs of contamination. The Royal Centre for Disease Control’s (RCDC) Third Quarterly Bulletin 2025 reveals that nearly three-quarters of urban drinking water samples tested were unsafe for consumption, indicating widespread microbial pollution across towns and cities.

According to the report, 531 drinking water samples were collected and tested for Escherichia coli (E. coli) from 583 urban sampling stations across all 20 dzongkhags. Of these, only 134 samples, or 25.2 percent, met national drinking water standards, while 397 samples, or 74.8 percent, failed. The findings reflect a persistent pattern of contamination despite routine chlorination and testing.

The RCDC observed that the microbial safety of water in urban areas has remained low for the past ten quarters, with compliance rarely exceeding 30 percent. Although the number of samples tested this quarter was slightly lower than the previous one, the proportion of unsafe samples remained largely unchanged.

At the same time, the physical parameters of water quality, such as pH and turbidity, were mostly within safe limits. The mean compliance for pH ranged between 6.5 and 8.5, recording 92.88 percent, while turbidity, measured by clarity, stood at 90.20 percent within the acceptable limit of 5 NTU. This indicates that while water may appear clear, it does not necessarily mean it is safe to drink.

The bulletin also records 6,016 diarrheal cases during the same quarter, of which 90 percent were classified as Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) and 10 percent as Acute Bloody Diarrhea (ABD), both commonly linked to water contamination. Although the numbers were slightly below the three-year median, diarrhea remained among the most reported notifiable diseases nationwide.

Children under five were most affected, with Thimphu, Chhukha, and Trashigang reporting the highest case numbers. The RCDC notes that poor sanitation, unprotected water sources, and seasonal rainfall patterns continue to fuel the spread of waterborne diseases.

In rural areas, out of 907 water samples tested, 68.69 percent were found to be safe. This represents a small decline from the previous dry season, when compliance stood at 74.6 percent. The report highlights that rural water quality fluctuates less by season, but bacterial contamination remains an ongoing challenge.

In the capital, Thimphu, residents say the findings reflect what many have long suspected. “We boil water every day because we don’t trust the tap,” said Pema Choden, a mother of two. “Sometimes it smells different, other times it turns cloudy after the rain. It’s worrying to hear that so many samples failed safety tests.”

In Phuentsholing, where industries and dense settlements rely on limited sources, residents expressed similar worries. “The water supply looks fine, but no one can say if it’s really safe,” said Karma Dorji. “We end up spending extra on bottled water, which not everyone can afford.”

Smaller towns face different but equally pressing challenges. “We clean our storage tanks regularly, but contamination can happen at the source, not just at home,” said Tshering Wangmo.

Across these communities, many residents believe water quality reports should be shared more frequently. “People deserve to know when contamination levels rise,” said a civil servant in Paro. “It should not take a quarterly report for us to find out that our water is unsafe.”

“We tell students to wash their hands and drink safe water, but how can we be sure the tap water is safe?” said a teacher in Thimphu. “Every year, people fall sick with diarrhea, and we just keep boiling and filtering without knowing if it’s enough.”

Routine surveillance remains critical to ensure early detection and control of water contamination. The Centre, in collaboration with local governments and public health offices, tests water from both community and piped sources. Efforts are also underway to improve chlorination systems, maintain storage tanks, and train water caretakers on proper disinfection practices.

Coordination between health, infrastructure, and municipal agencies is being strengthened under the Water Flagship Programme to standardize water quality monitoring across dzongkhags.

The RCDC’s findings reveal that only one in four urban water samples met microbiological safety standards in the third quarter of 2025, with the widespread presence of E. coli exposing deep-rooted gaps in urban water management. Although authorities are working to strengthen surveillance and treatment systems, the results have reignited public demand for greater transparency and accountability. Ultimately, the challenge extends beyond infrastructure- it is about restoring public trust in the safety of the water that flows from taps across Bhutan.