Skull In Water Tank Triggers A Bigger Alarm: Just 95 Of Ahmedabad’s 241 Tanks Cleaned On Time

A human skull and two to three bones found inside a water tank at Ahmedabad’s Asarwa Water Distribution Centre have now been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), but the discovery has opened a far bigger question: 

How did a tank reportedly go nearly two years without cleaning when civic rules require water tanks to be cleaned every six months?

The numbers emerging from Ahmedabad’s water distribution network add to the concern. Of the city’s 241 underground water distribution station tanks, only 95—or 39.4%—were cleaned within the prescribed six-month period. Another 125 were cleaned between six months and a year, while 21 have remained uncleaned for more than a year.

In all, 146 underground water tanks have not been cleaned within the mandated six-month cycle.

Asarwa Tank Debris Triggers Bigger Questions

The remains were recently discovered in the Asarwa WDS tank, which reportedly had last been cleaned in January 2025. The discovery has since moved into the forensic stage, with the remains sent to the FSL for examination.

But the incident has also put the spotlight on the system meant to ensure that such tanks are regularly inspected and cleaned.

A separate contract exists for tank-cleaning work, raising questions over monitoring, record-keeping and enforcement of the six-month cleaning requirement.

East Zone: Zero Of 42 Tanks Cleaned In Six Months

The situation is particularly striking in the East Zone, where none of the 42 water distribution station tanks has been cleaned in the last six months.

Of these, 41 were cleaned between six months and a year ago, while one has remained uncleaned for more than a year.

The North-West Zone also shows a significant gap. Only nine of its 36 tanks were cleaned within six months. Twenty were cleaned between six months and a year, while seven have crossed the one-year mark without cleaning.

In the West Zone, just seven of 40 tanks were cleaned within six months. Twenty-seven were cleaned within six to 12 months and six have remained pending for more than a year.

South-West Performs Better, But Citywide Record Remains A Concern

The South-West Zone has recorded the highest compliance, with 26 of its 28 tanks cleaned within six months.

In the South Zone, 29 of 44 tanks were cleaned within the stipulated period. The North Zone recorded 17 of 35, while the Central Zone recorded seven of 16.

Across the city, 220 of the 241 tanks were cleaned during the past year. But only 95 met the six-month requirement.

Zone-Wise Tank Cleaning Status

21 Tanks Have Gone Uncleaned For More Than A Year

The data show that 21 tanks, or 8.7% of the total, have not been cleaned for more than a year.

The North-West Zone accounts for seven of these tanks, followed by six each in the West and North zones. The East and South zones have one such tank each.

The figures raise questions not only about delayed cleaning but also about how compliance with the prescribed six-month cycle is being monitored.

₹5.12 Lakh Estimated To Clean A 45-Lakh-Litre Tank

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation pays ₹1,138 per 10,000 litres for tank-cleaning work. At this rate, cleaning a 45-lakh-litre tank would cost approximately ₹5.12 lakh.

The payment, according to the information available, is made after the cleaning work is completed.

The issue therefore extends beyond the cleaning schedule to questions over verification of work, inspection and accountability.

AMC Plans One Agency For Each Zone

The civic administration is now moving to change the way tank cleaning is managed. Until now, the work was handled at the ward level.

Going forward, the Water Operations Department will oversee the process, with a proposed “One Zone, One Agency” system. The AMC is expected to invite tenders to appoint a single agency for each zone.

‘311’ To Create Digital Trail Of Every Cleaning

Under a Commissioner’s circular, tanks are required to be cleaned twice a year, with the process documented at three stages—before, during and after cleaning.

Inspection reports and photographs from all three stages are to be uploaded on the Smart City 311 application.

The system is intended to create a digital trail showing when a tank was cleaned, its condition before and after the work, and how the cleaning was carried out.

45,000 Households Seek Water Quality Checks

The discovery at Asarwa has also triggered demands for immediate water-quality testing.

Sanjay Patel, president of the Asarwa Youth Circle, has submitted a letter signed by several citizens to the Municipal Commissioner and Gujarat’s Urban Development Minister, seeking urgent action.

The group said the Asarwa tank and pumping system supplies drinking water to more than 45,000 households. It has demanded thorough cleaning and sanitisation of the tank, along with bacteriological and chemical testing of water samples.

The group has also sought public disclosure of the test reports.

Calls For CCTV, Guards And Maintenance Audit

The representation calls for round-the-clock security guards, CCTV surveillance and a review of access-control arrangements at the tank and pumping station.

The Asarwa Youth Circle has also claimed that residents had previously complained about dirty and foul-smelling water.

It has sought an examination of maintenance records, including the exact date of the tank’s last cleaning, a detailed investigation into how the remains ended up inside the tank and action against those found responsible.

The group has further demanded regular water-quality testing and a SOP to prevent a repeat of the incident.