Lok Sabha Question No. 79 (STARRED), answered on 2021-12-02
Subject: Safe Drinking Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Dileshwar Kamait, Riti Pathak

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO.*79

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.12.2021

## SAFE DRINKING WATER

## †* 79. SHRI DILESHWAR KAMAIT: SHRIMATI  RITI  PATHAK:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a)   whether the government is aware that ground water with hazardous chemical components therein  having  adverse  effect  on  human  health  is  being  used  for  drinking  across  the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)   whether the Government has conducted any scientific study on this issue; and
- (c)   if so, the State-wise details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (d)   the  measures  taken  or  proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  in  coordination  with various States to ensure safe drinking water to the citizens?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

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

## Statement referred to in the reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 79 due for reply on 02.12.2021

(a) to (d) Bureau of Indian Standards IS-10500: 2012 specifies acceptable and permissible limits  in  the  absence  of  alternate  source  for  various  physio-chemical  and  bacteriological parameters  for  drinking  water  quality  as  provided  in  the Annex-I. As  reported  by  States/ UTs, State-wise details of habitations affected by Arsenic, Fluoride, Iron, Salinity, Nitrate & Heavy Metals are at Annex-II .

Central Ground Water Board generates  ground water quality data on regional scale during various scientific studies and ground water monitoring programme throughout the country. Data on ground water quality has been shared with concerned State Governments for taking remedial measures, awareness and monitoring of drinking water use.

To make provision of potable tap water supply  in adequate quantity, of prescribed quality and  on  regular  &  long-term  basis  to  every  rural  household  by  2024,  since  August,  2019, Government of India in partnership with States, is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) Har Ghar Jal including water quality-affected habitations. Under JJM, while allocating the funds  to  States/  UTs,  10%  weightage  is  given  to  the  population  residing  in  habitations affected by chemical contaminants.

Under  JJM,  while  planning  for  potable  water  supply  to  household  through  tap  water connection, priority is to be given to quality-affected habitations. Since, planning, implementation  and  commissioning  of  piped  water  supply  scheme  based  on  a  safe  water source  takes  time,  purely  as  an  interim  measure,  States/  UTs  have  been  advised  to  install community  water  purification  plants  (CWPPs)  especially  in  Arsenic  and  Fluoride  affected habitations to provide potable water to every household at the rate of 8-10 litre per capita per day (lpcd) to  meet their drinking  and  cooking  requirements.  Out of 2,961 rural  habitations with  reported  Arsenic  contamination  beyond  permissible  limit  in  drinking  water  sources, CWPPs have been installed in 1,608 habitations to provide potable drinking water. Similarly, out of 2,131 habitations reported to have Fluoride contaminations beyond permissible limits in drinking water sources, CWPPs have been installed in 1,498 habitations to provide potable drinking water.

Under Jal Jeevan Mission, as per existing guidelines, IS:10500 is to be adopted for ensuring safe drinking water supply and States/ UTs have been advised to carry out testing of drinking water sources once  in  year  for  chemical  and  physical  parameters,  and  twice  in  a  year  for bacteriological  parameters.  To  enable  States/  UTs  to  test  water  samples  for  water  quality, and for sample collection, reporting, monitoring and surveillance of drinking water sources, an online JJM - Water Quality Management Information System (WQMIS) portal has been developed. The State-wise details of water quality test reported through WQMIS is available in public domain on JJM Dashboard and can also be accessed at:

https://neer.icmr.org.in/website/main.php

To encourage water quality testing to ensure potable drinking water supply, States/ UTs have been advised to open water quality testing laboratories to general public at a nominal rate for testing of their water samples.

States/  UTs  have  been  advised  to  identify  and  train  5  persons  preferably  women  in  each village viz. ASHA workers, health workers, VWSC members, teachers, etc. to conduct water quality  tests  using  FTKs/  bacteriological  vials  at  village  level  and  report  the  same  on  the portal.

*****

## Annex referred in the reply to Lok Sabha starred Question No. 79 due for reply on 02.12.2021

## Acceptable and permissible limits prescribed by Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) (extract) for various physio-chemical and bacteriological parameters for drinking water quality

|   S.No. | Characteristics                              | Unit                                         | Acceptable Limit                             | Permissible Limit                            |
|---------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
|       1 | pH value                                     | ..                                           | 6.5 -8.5                                     | No relaxation                                |
|       2 | Total dissolved solids                       | Milligram/ litre                             | 500                                          | 2,000                                        |
|       3 | Turbidity                                    | NTU                                          | 1                                            | 5                                            |
|       4 | Chloride                                     | Milligram/ litre                             | 250                                          | 1,000                                        |
|       5 | Total Alkalinity                             | Milligram/ litre                             | 200                                          | 600                                          |
|       6 | Total Hardness                               | Milligram/ litre                             | 200                                          | 600                                          |
|       7 | Sulphate                                     | Milligram/ litre                             | 200                                          | 400                                          |
|       8 | Iron                                         | Milligram/ litre                             | 1.0                                          | No relaxation                                |
|       9 | Total Arsenic                                | Milligram/ litre                             | 0.01                                         | No relaxation                                |
|      10 | Fluoride                                     | Milligram/ litre                             | 1.0                                          | 1.5                                          |
|      11 | Nitrate                                      | Milligram/ litre                             | 45                                           | No relaxation                                |
|      12 | Total Coliform bacteria                      | Shall not be detectable in any 100 ml sample | Shall not be detectable in any 100 ml sample | Shall not be detectable in any 100 ml sample |
|      13 | E-coli or thermo- tolerant coliform bacteria | Shall not be detectable in any 100 ml sample | Shall not be detectable in any 100 ml sample | Shall not be detectable in any 100 ml sample |

## Annex referred in the reply to Lok Sabha starred Question No. 79 due for reply on 02.12.2021

## State-wise number of water quality-affected habitations and CWPPs installed in Arsenic and Fluoride affected habitations

| S.N o.   | State/UT          | Number of quality-affected habitations   | Number of quality-affected habitations   | Number of quality-affected habitations   | Number of quality-affected habitations   | Number of quality-affected habitations   | Number of quality-affected habitations   | Number of quality-affected habitations   | Number of quality-affected habitations   |
|----------|-------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
|          |                   | Fluoride                                 | CWPP installed                           | Arsenic                                  | CWPP installed                           | Iron                                     | Salinity                                 | Nitrate                                  | Heavy metals                             |
| 1.       | Andhra Pradesh    | 86                                       | 86                                       | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 12                                       | 1                                        | -                                        |
| 2.       | Arunachal Pradesh | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 224                                      | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        |
| 3.       | Assam             | 12                                       | 12                                       | 1,193                                    | 1,193                                    | 19,528                                   | -                                        | -                                        | 5                                        |
| 4.       | Bihar             | 23                                       | -                                        | 24                                       | 2                                        | 3,919                                    | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        |
| 5.       | Chhattisgarh      | 154                                      | 31                                       | -                                        | -                                        | 30                                       | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        |
| 6.       | Haryana           | 1                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        |
| 7.       | Jammu &Kashmir    | 1                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 2                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        |
| 8.       | Jharkhand         | 48                                       | 47                                       | 1                                        | 1                                        | 127                                      | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        |
| 9.       | Kerala            | 5                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 61                                       | 18                                       | 8                                        | -                                        |
| 10.      | Madhya Pradesh    | 53                                       | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 24                                       | 7                                        | 2                                        | -                                        |
| 11.      | Maharashtra       | 14                                       | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 8                                        | 13                                       | 44                                       | -                                        |
| 12.      | Odisha            | 68                                       | 1                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 3,336                                    | 33                                       | 23                                       | -                                        |
| 13.      | Punjab            | 176                                      | 11                                       | 570                                      | 94                                       | 10                                       | -                                        | 37                                       | 184                                      |
| 14.      | Rajasthan         | 1,304                                    | 1,270                                    | -                                        | -                                        | 5                                        | 10,104                                   | 691                                      | -                                        |
| 15.      | Tripura           | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 1,080                                    | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        |
| 16.      | Uttar Pradesh     | 41                                       | 39                                       | 107                                      | 107                                      | 281                                      | 79                                       | 10                                       | -                                        |
| 17.      | Uttarakhand       | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 2                                        | -                                        | 2                                        | -                                        |
| 18.      | West Bengal       | 145                                      | 1                                        | 1,066                                    | 211                                      | 1,630                                    | 72                                       | -                                        | 67                                       |
|          | Total             | 2,131                                    | 1,498                                    | 2,961                                    | 1,608                                    | 30,267                                   | 10,338                                   | 818                                      | 256                                      |