Apple supplier Tata Electronics faces renewed scrutiny in Hosur, India, after local health officials launched a fresh probe into alleged water contamination from its iPhone parts plant. The factory, operating since 2021, makes back covers and other components. Earlier this month the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board said it had dropped enforcement action after Tata’s response to a warning notice. It supplies parts for iPhones.

Farmers in the Ullugurukkai village have complained that wastewater has seeped into their wells, producing a foul odor and water unsuitable for livestock. A government medical officer’s May‑27 letter to the state Institute of Vector Control cited “severe foul smell” and noted two nearby water samples tested positive for E. coli, indicating fecal contamination. Local NGOs have called for independent testing of the water sources.

Investigators also reported a tense standoff when a farmer entered Tata’s premises to photograph a pond alleged to contain wastewater, prompting a guard to retrieve a firearm. Neither Apple nor Tata has commented on the new health probe, leaving the impact on the supply chain and local community unresolved. The episode raises questions about environmental compliance in Apple's expanding overseas manufacturing network.