Residents of Kalinga Street near Flower Market in the city were in for a shock on Monday, as the drinking water from the municipal corporation pipe was mixed with sewage water here.

According to the residents of the area, the problem has been persisting for more than a year now and even after repeated complaints and attempts by the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation officials, the issue has not been addressed, posing a health hazard to people here.

M Gurusamy, one of the residents, said that more than 25 families reside in the area where the problem exists. “Even recently, officials changed the water pipes, but there is still leakage and the water continues to be blue in colour,” he said.

He added that drinking water was distributed only once in six days. “With a week’s gap in distribution, we are deprived of good drinking water,” he said.

Reacting to the issue, K Jeyabal, councillor of the 25th ward, under which the area comes, said that the problem could not be effectively addressed because of water clogging in the nearby ward. “The pipes run through the 24th ward where a clogging has been reported. We have started replacing pipes in Periyar Street, where a similar problem has been reported,” he said.

He said that the repair works will be continued after the by-elections, as funding would get easier then.