NEW DELHI

A hospital in Japan "accidentally" used simply treated water meant for toilets as drinking water for over 30 years, according to a peculiar incident revealed in media last month. 

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According to the Japanese news outlet Yomiuri Shimbun, Osaka University revealed on October 20 that some of the tap water pipes in specified locations of the school's department were installed incorrectly, resulting in the drinking water pipes being linked to the lavatory.

To make matters worse, the problem has been going on for over 30 years, since the hospital opened in 1993, and 120 taps were found to be defective. 

Surprisingly, the well water was flowing to 120 faucets, which were being used for drinking, washing hands, and even gargling.

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The issue occurred as a result of a mistake in connecting pipes when the hospital was built in 1993. 

Despite the fact that the problem had been there for a long time, no one was aware of it until the hospital was preparing to construct a new diagnosis and treatment facility, during which the problem was discovered during an inspection.

According to reports, the hospital does verify the colour, taste, and smell of water once a week, based on existing records, implying that there has been no problem since 2014.

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The university, on the other hand, claims that no health risks were discovered throughout the examination. 

(With inputs from agencies)