COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) is currently facing a significant challenge in providing drinking water to the public through its Reverse Osmosis (RO) system. The groundwater source at the hospital campus has high levels of silica, which although is not a health concern, it can negatively affect plumbing and the water purification mechanism.

Sources said the RO unit at CMCH has experienced multiple malfunctions over the past eight months, leading to frequent shutdowns. The RO plant at CMCH was inaugurated in April 2025, aided by private sponsorships and maintenance by an NGO.

The hospital has eight direct drinking water supply connections from the city corporation. However, this supply is often disrupted during power outages or repair work. To mitigate these challenges, the RO unit was established to treat groundwater into drinking water.

However, just a few days after its inauguration, sources said the unit began to slow down, resulting in ineffective water treatment. "For every 1,000 litres of water processed, just 100 litres are treated while the rest goes to waste. It was revealed that high levels of silica deposits were obstructing the RO unit's functionality.

At one point, the membrane filter of the RO unit failed due to silica deposits, which are difficult to clean and can cause irreversible damage. Replacing this membrane costs approximately Rs 30,000. As a result, issues with the RO unit arose weekly. Officials said the NGO and sponsors who initiated the project have been managing the expenses for several membrane replacements.

A senior officer from the hospital said this is the only location where the unit is operational and has access to a significant amount of groundwater. However, the high silica content in the water affects the RO unit's performance.

"We are currently discussing the possibility of relocating the unit to another area on the premises where the silica levels are lower. In the meantime, the sponsors have temporarily resolved the issue by mixing an anti-scalant to control the impact of silica on the water purification process.

The sponsors spent over Rs 7 lakh on this project, but these complications were unexpected. While silica is not harmful to health, it does affect the efficiency of the RO unit," the officer said on condition of anonymity. 

This story is reported by R Kirubakaran of The New Indian Express.