Lok Sabha Question No. 50 (STARRED), answered on 2021-07-22
Subject: Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality Check
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Dean Kuriakose

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 50

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2021

## GUIDELINES FOR DRINKING WATER QUALITY CHECK

* 50. ADV. DEAN KURIAKOSE:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  the  details  of  the  framework  and  guidelines  issued  by  the  Government  for  testing, monitoring and surveillance of drinking water quality;

(b)  whether  the  Government  has  started  a  Water  Quality  Information  Management  System (WQMIS)  to  help  in  providing  information  on  laboratories  for  water  testing  at  the  State, district, block/tehsil and village levels;

(c) the manner in which the Government proposes to build capacity at these levels to ensure uniformity and efficacy;

(d) whether it is a fact that the Jal Jeevan Mission benefits the rural areas only and deprives the dwellers of urban and semi urban areas of the country; and

(e) whether the Government has any plans for expanding the scheme to urban and semi urban areas to benefit the people living in these areas from this mission?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH  SHEKHAWAT)

(a) to (e) A Statement of reply is laid on the Table of the House.

## Statement referred to in the reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 50 due for reply on 22.07.2021

(a) Since August, 2019, Government of India in partnership with States, is implementing Jal Jeevan  Mission  (JJM)  -  Har  Ghar  Jal,  to  make  provision  of  potable  piped  water  supply  to every  rural  household  and  public  institution  like  schools,  anganwadi  centres,  ashramshalas, health  centres,  etc.,  by  2024.In  consultation  with  various  stakeholders,  'Drinking  Water Quality  Monitoring  &  Surveillance  Framework'  has  been  released  on  13.03.2021  for guidance  to  States/  UT's  officials  and  local  village  level  functionaries  to  expand  the  water quality testing and reporting, surveillance of drinking water sources, sanitary surveys, setting up of laboratories, etc.

(b) & (c) Water Quality Management Information System (WQMIS), an online portal, has been  developed  in  partnership  with  Indian  Council  of  Medical  Research  (ICMR)  for  water quality  sample  collection,  testing  and  uploading/  communicating  results  to  users.  On  this portal  an  individual  can  register  their  sample  and  choose  nearby  water  quality  testing laboratory to get the water sample tested. All States have been advised to open these water quality testing laboratories to general public so that people can get their water samples tested at a nominal cost. This portal can be accessed at following weblink: https://neer.icmr.org.in/website/main.php.

Under  JJM,  upto  2%  of  the  allocation  to  States/  UTs  can  be  utilized  for  Water  Quality Monitoring & Surveillance (WQM&S) activities inter alia which includes activities like setting up  and  strengthening  of  water  quality  testing  laboratories,  procurement  of  equipment, instruments, chemicals, glassware, consumables, hiring of skilled manpower, surveillance by community  using  field  test  kits(FTKs),  awareness  generation,  educational  programmes  on water quality, NABL accreditation/ recognition of laboratories, etc.

(d) & (e) As  informed  by  the  Ministry  of  Housing  and  Urban  Affairs,  Atal  Mission  for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), launched by the Government of India on June 25, 2015 in selected 500 cities and towns across the country, focuses on development of basic urban infrastructure in the Mission cities,including water supply, whichis planned to be expanded to all 4,372 statutory towns/cities of the country.

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