Factories and Farms Clash Over Water Safety in India

In southern India, a plant that makes parts for iPhones sits near fields where farmers rely on clean water. The factory, run by an Apple supplier, was warned in April that wastewater might have polluted groundwater used by nearby farms. Officials said the company had fixed the problem and no further action was needed. Yet health workers kept looking into complaints from villagers who believe the factory is still harming their land. Farmers say their soil smells bad and their wells taste strange. A village doctor wrote a letter in May describing thick wastewater on farmland and murky water in local wells. Tests later found bacteria usually found in sewage in two water samples from nearby farms. Some villagers also report skin irritation they link to the contamination. Despite these concerns, a government doctor told Reuters no one has yet proven the health problems come directly from the factory.Workers at the plant deny wrongdoing. After the warning, the company sent detailed answers to regulators and said it met all requirements. The factory opened in 2021 and mainly makes phone back covers. Yet the debate is not over. Farmers have tried to document the problem by taking photos of discolored ponds on factory grounds. In one tense moment, a security guard reportedly pulled out a gun after a farmer walked onto the property to photograph a suspected wastewater pond. Photos shared by Reuters show greenish water from a nearby field, which farmers say comes from the factory. Neither the phone maker nor the factory owner has answered requests for comment. While the pollution board closed its inquiry after the company responded, local health officials continue their own checks. Their findings could affect whether farming families keep using the land they depend on.