Tue Jun 24 15:31:17 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text, followed by a news article based on it:

**Summary:**

Untreated sewage is continuously polluting 10 urban lakes in Coimbatore, India, due to delays in underground drainage construction and insufficient capacity of existing sewage treatment plants (STPs). Experts warn of severe groundwater contamination, pointing to the ecological damage, unusable water for farming, and high levels of pollutants. While the Coimbatore Corporation claims pollution levels are acceptable and proposes new STPs, critics allege that existing STPs aren’t running consistently and that apartment complexes are illegally discharging untreated wastewater into borewells.

**News Article:**

**Coimbatore Lakes Choked by Untreated Sewage, Groundwater Contamination Feared**

**COIMBATORE, June 24, 2025** – A critical delay in the completion of underground drainage systems is causing significant pollution in 10 urban lakes across Coimbatore, raising serious concerns about groundwater contamination and public health. Experts are sounding the alarm over the persistent flow of untreated sewage into these vital water bodies, exacerbated by inadequate treatment capacity at existing sewage treatment plants (STPs).

S. Sivalingam, a member of the State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority, stated that all nine lakes maintained by the Coimbatore Corporation are affected. He emphasized that the current STPs are insufficient to handle the rapid urbanization, turning the lakes into “urban water deserts” visibly plagued by water hyacinth.

Farmers like A. Raja near Singanallur Lake report that groundwater is now unusable even for agricultural purposes. “We have petitioned authorities to run the new STP, but sewage continues to flow into the lake despite claims that the plant is operational,” he said. NGO Siruthuli has also reported sediment buildup in borewell pipes near Valankulam Lake, further evidence of the contamination.

R. Ilangovan, a researcher on urban lakes, highlighted that the lakes haven’t dried out for eight years, even during peak summer, not due to rainfall, but from constant sewage discharge. He also pointed out that Biochemical Oxygen Demand and Chemical Oxygen Demand levels are dangerously high, rendering the water unusable and contaminating both surface and groundwater.

Further accusations suggest that several apartment complexes are bypassing mandated STPs, discharging untreated wastewater directly into borewells.

While Corporation Commissioner M. Sivaguru Prabakaran maintains that pollution levels are within acceptable limits, he acknowledged the need for improvement. He stated that the Corporation has proposed decentralized STPs with a total capacity of 19.5 MLD at seven lakes. “We will ensure that only rainwater flows through the storm water drains. Apartment complexes with in-house STPs will be monitored, and if any are found discharging untreated wastewater, we will identify the source and take action,” he said. However, critics remain skeptical, calling for stricter enforcement and swifter completion of the crucial drainage infrastructure to safeguard the city’s water resources.

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