Murky, dark green-coloured water has been flowing through canals and minors for the past week across Ferozepur, Faridkot, Muktsar and Fazilka districts, posing a potential health risk to residents and farmers who use it for drinking and irrigation.The situation has also triggered an acute shortage of potable water, particularly as temperature has crossed 41°C. Several waterworks dependent on canal supply have either shut down or shifted to groundwater, which in many areas is considered unfit for consumption due to high total dissolved solids (TDS) levels and other factors. In some areas, waterworks managements are diluting canal water with underground water.The situation has arisen following the closure of the Rajasthan Feeder canal for relining work in Faridkot district till May 3, which may be extended further.Officials in the Water Resources Department said that water available at Harike barrage, at the confluence of the Sutlej and Beas, was being supplied downstream. Some officials said the water quality might have been affected by stagnant water, industrial effluent and sewage discharge from the Buddha Nullah in Ludhiana.Despite concerns raised by residents, fresh samples have reportedly not been lifted in recent days, raising questions over monitoring.An official said with the Rajasthan feeder canal closed, pollutants were not getting diluted and instead flowed through the Ferozepur and Sirhind feeder canals, along with the Bikaner (Gang) canal and Main Branch, supplying water to four districts in Punjab and Sriganganagar in Rajasthan.Fazilka-based farm leader Sukhmandar Singh Sukh, who visited Harike Barrage on Tuesday, criticised the authorities, alleging that very poor-quality water was supplied whenever the Rajasthan feeder canal was shut.“We are being supplied poison. Officials should try drinking this water themselves. Every time we raise this issue, hardly anyone acts. What is the point of introducing other government schemes when clean water cannot be ensured?” he said.Sandeep Goyal, Superintending Engineer (Canals), Ferozepur, said earlier samples had met prescribed parameters and fresh testing had been requested. “The situation is improving with increased flow in the Sirhind feeder canal and will normalise once the Rajasthan feeder canal resumes operations. We are supplying whatever is stored in the reservoir,” he said.Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal said, “If officials have given you this information, it must be correct. I will also speak to them. However, I am aware that the Rajasthan feeder canal is closed for some work.”