Liver Specialist Slams Study on Self-purifying Ganga Water; Says Bacteriophages Are Fecal Indicators, Can Harm Humans

Renowned liver specialist Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips—popularly known as The Liver Doc on X—slammed and questioned the claim that the Ganga River purifies the water naturally, saying it was full of misinformation.

A recent study claimed that the Ganga River has 1,100 types of bacteriophages that selectively target and destroy bacteria, thus purifying the water naturally. According to scientist Dr. Ajay Sonkar, who conducted the study, he even described these bacteriophages as “security guards” of the Ganga, capable of identifying and eliminating harmful bacteria introduced by bathers in the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela.

However, according to Dr. Philips, sewage water contains an extremely large number of bacteriophages, which also does not make it worth drinking. "The presence of large numbers of bacteriophages is a measure of severe bacterial contamination from various sources, including human excreta. Sewage water contains very large amounts of bacteriophages. It doesn't make it drinkable," he shared in a long post on X.

The study claimed that each bacteriophage rapidly produces 100-300 new ones, ensuring a continuous cycle of purification of the river water. Dr. Sonkar, in his research, said Ganga water could even alter the RNA of bacteriophages.

However, according to Dr. Philips, bacteriophages contaminate the water more. "Bacteriophages are promising tools for the detection of fecal pollution in different environments, and particularly for viral pathogen risk assessment. Bacteriophages are also viruses—they can also severely harm humans. Their presence in the water does not indicate better outcomes," he tweeted.

"To simplify this, the presence of bacteriophages in water does not equate to "cleaner" water... Bacteriophages can be used as fecal indicators or microbial water quality bioindicators as an early warning of contamination by sewage and as an efficiency marker of water or wastewater treatment (see Yahya et al., Journal of Applied Microbiology 2015)," he added.

Bacteriophages are naturally occurring viruses that infect and destroy bacteria. Experts say their presence in water is not a sign of cleanliness and is considered fecal contamination, often from sewage or human excreta.

Experts say many bacteriophages are specifically associated with the gut bacteria of humans and animals, so their presence in water signifies the likely introduction of fecal matter. They can survive in water for a long time and are often used as a marker to detect fecal contamination in water sources.

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