Reports across the media have stated that drinking water at several railway stations in the country is dangerous. This was because the water was found to be contaminated with E coli bacteria, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).

The information came from the CAG audit on ‘Passenger Amenities and Sanitation at Non-Suburban Railway Stations’ presented in Parliament recently. It highlighted significant gaps in sanitation, drinking water and basic amenities across the Indian Railways network. Especially disturbing was the finding of E coli in water coolers at eight railway stations. E coli can cause severe and dangerous illness as it is a bacterium commonly associated with faecal contamination.