Lok Sabha Question No. 301 (STARRED), answered on 2023-08-10
Subject: Survey on Quality of Drinking Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Nishikant  Dubey

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO-*301

ANSWERED ON-10/08/2023

## SURVEY ON QUALITY OF DRINKING WATER

## *301. DR. NISHIKANT DUBEY:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has conducted any survey to determine the quality of drinking water and water used for farming in areas having mining and industrial activities, particularly in Jharkhand;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (c) the steps being taken by the Government to tackle possible health hazards due to contaminated water being used for drinking and farming?

## ANSWER

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

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

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## Statement referred to in the reply to Part (a) to (c) in respect to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *301 for reply  on 10/08/2023 regarding Survey of quality of drinking water.

(a) to (c) Government of India is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) - Har Ghar Jal, since August, 2019, in partnership with States, to make provision of potable tap water supply in adequate quantity, of prescribed quality and on regular & long-term basis to every rural household in the country including in State of Jharkhand. 'Water' being a state subject planning, approval and implementation of drinking water supply schemes, lies with State/UT governments.

At the time of announcement of Jal Jeevan Mission, 3.23 Crore rural households were reported to have tap water connections. As reported by States/UTs as on 07/08/2023, more than 9.51 crore additional rural households have been provided with tap water connections under JJM. Thus, as on  07/08/2023,  out  of  19.41  Crore  rural  households  in  the  country,  more  than  12.75  Crore (65.69%) rural households are reported to have tap water supply in their homes.

As reported by the state of Jharkhand, as on 07/08/2023, more than 20.89 lakh additional rural households  have  been  provided  with  tap  water  connection  since  the  launch  of  the  Jal  Jeevan Mission (JJM). Thus, as on date, 24.34 lakh (39.68%) households out of 61.34 lakh households are having tap water connection in Jharkhand. Under JJM, while allocating the funds to States/ UTs,  10%  weightage  is  given  to  the  population  residing  in  habitations  affected  by  chemical contaminants.

States/  UTs  have  been  advised  to  plan  and  implement  piped  water  supply  schemes  based  on alternative  safe  water  sources  for  the  villages  with  water  quality  issues.  Since,  planning, implementation and commissioning of piped water supply scheme based on a safe water source may take 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.

Under  Jal  Jeevan  Mission,  as  per  existing  guidelines,  Bureau  of  Indian  Standards'  IS:10500 standard is to be adopted for ensuring safe drinking water supply. States/UTs have been advised to carry out testing of water quality on a periodic basis, i.e. once in a year for chemical and physical parameters, and twice in a year for bacteriological parameters and take remedial action wherever necessary, to ensure that the water supplied to households is of prescribed quality.

As reported by States/UTs, as on date, there are 2,087 drinking water quality testing laboratories at different levels viz. State, District, sub-division and/ or block level in the country. To encourage water  quality  testing  to  ensure  potable  drinking  water  supply,  States/  UTs  have  opened  water quality testing laboratories to general public for testing of their water samples at a nominal rate.

States/ UTs have been advised to identify and train 5 persons, preferably women, in every village to conduct water quality testing using Field Testing Kits (FTKs)/ bacteriological vials at village level and report the same on the WQMIS portal. So far, as reported by States/UTs, more than 22.56 lakh women have been trained for testing water using FTKs.

Since launch of JJM, year-wise, testing of water quality samples in the laboratories has increased from around 40 lakhs samples in 2018-19 to more than 62 lakh samples in 2022-23. Similarly, testing of water quality using FTKs has increased from around 11 lakh samples in 2018-19 to 1.07 crore water samples during 2022-23.

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 are available in public domain on JJM Dashboard and can also be accessed at:

## https://ejalshakti.gov.in/WQMIS/Main/report

As reported by States/UTs, since launch of JJM, out  of 57,539  quality-affected  habitations  as reported on 1st August, 2019, safe drinking water has been made available in 40,314 habitations, including all the 14,020 Arsenic and 7,996 Fluoride affected habitations. Details of drinking water quality-affected habitations including in Jharkhand, as on 07/08/2023, are annexed .

Central Pollution Control Board, in association with State Pollution Control Boards & Pollution Control Committees, has been assessing water quality of aquatic resources at 4,484 locations in the country under National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP). Jharkhand Pollution Control  Board  is  monitoring  at  75  locations viz . rivers (65),  lakes  (4),  ponds  (4)  and groundwater(2) under NWMP.

Implementation  of  time-bound  action  plans  are  assigned  to  concerned  State  Government Departments  and  are  responsible  for  rejuvenation  of  polluted  river  stretches  identified  under NWMP in the respective States.

Government of India enacted The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and various provisions under The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for protection of water bodies. The Central & State Pollution Control Boards are implementing the provisions of both The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 & The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to prevent  and  control  pollution  of  aquatic  resources.  Regulation  of  industrial Pollution  is implemented through various provisions of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 under Consent mechanism by the respective State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) and Pollution Control Committee (PCC).

A  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  National  River  Conservation  Plan  (NRCP)  is  being implemented by the Central Government jointly with the State Governments on a cost-sharing basis. Proposals are received from the States/UTs from time to time for consideration under NRCP and sanctioned based on their prioritization, conformity with guidelines, availability of Plan funds, etc. Presently, NRCP covers polluted stretches of 37 rivers in 81 towns spread over 16 States at a sanctioned cost of Rs. 8,175.15 crore. An amount of Rs.3,232.52 crore has been released to various State Governments for implementation of pollution abatement schemes and a treatment capacity of 2,745.70 MLD has been created so far.

The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) generates ground water quality data on a regional scale during  various  scientific  studies  and  ground  water  quality  monitoring  throughout  the  country. These studies indicate the occurrence of Fluoride, Arsenic, Nitrate, Iron and Heavy Metals beyond the BIS permissible limits in isolated pockets in various parts of the country. Water being a State subject, initiatives for water management, including its quality is primarily the responsibility of the States. Data on ground water quality available with CGWB are being shared with concerned State Governments for taking necessary remedial measures.

Under the National Aquifer Mapping Programme (NAQUIM) of CGWB, special attention is being given to the aspect of ground water quality including contamination by toxic substances such as Arsenic in ground water.

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## Annex

## Annex as referred in the reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *301 answered on 10/08/2023

## State-wise number of drinking water quality-affected habitations (As on 07/08/2023)

| S. No.   | State             | 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   | Number of quality-affected habitations   |
|----------|-------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
|          |                   | Fluoride                                 | Fluoride                                 | Arsenic                                  | Arsenic                                  | Heavy Metals                             | Heavy Metals                             | Iron                                     | Salinity                                 | Nitrate                                  |
|          |                   | Total                                    | Covered with CWPP                        | Total                                    | Covered with CWPP                        | Total                                    | Covered with CWPP                        |                                          |                                          |                                          |
| 1.       | Arunachal Pradesh | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 33                                       | -                                        | -                                        |
| 2.       | Assam             | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 6,225                                    | -                                        | -                                        |
| 3.       | Bihar             | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 66                                       | -                                        | -                                        |
| 4.       | Jharkhand         | 2                                        | 2                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        |
| 5.       | Kerala            | 4                                        | 4                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 58                                       | 17                                       | 8                                        |
| 6.       | Lakshadweep       | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 10                                       | -                                        |
| 7.       | Odisha            | 24                                       | 24                                       | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 1,067                                    | 11                                       | 6                                        |
| 8.       | Punjab            | 176                                      | 176                                      | 319                                      | 319                                      | 84                                       | 57                                       | 3                                        | -                                        | 16                                       |
| 9.       | Rajasthan         | 112                                      | 112                                      | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 4                                        | 8,824                                    | 432                                      |
| 10.      | Tripura           | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 316                                      | -                                        | -                                        |
| 11.      | Uttar Pradesh     | 3                                        | 3                                        | 41                                       | 41                                       | -                                        | -                                        | 89                                       | 7                                        | -                                        |
| 12.      | Uttarakhand       | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | -                                        | 2                                        | -                                        | 1                                        |
| 13.      | West Bengal       | 39                                       | 39                                       | 76                                       | 76                                       | -                                        | -                                        | 3                                        | -                                        | -                                        |

Source: JJM-IMIS