Lok Sabha Question No. 625 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-25
Subject: Contamination of Water of Institutions
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Y S Avinash Reddy

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 625

ANSWERED ON 25.07.2024

## CONTAMINATION OF WATER OF INSTITUTIONS

## 625. SHRI Y S AVINASH REDDY:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a)   whether it is a fact that over 90% of institutions such as Anganwadis and Schools have access to tap water, and several of them reported high levels of chlorine and other bacterial contaminations as their adoption was based on self-reporting by villages and are not certified by a third party;
- (b)  if so, the details thereof; and
- (c)   the corrective measures being taken for consistent adoption of tap water in rural India?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI V. SOMANNA)

(a) to (c) Government of India is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission, in partnership with States to make provision of tap water supply to every rural household. With focus on children's health and well-being, a special campaign was launched on 2nd  October 2020 for making provision of tap water supply in schools, anganwadi centers, etc. for purposes of drinking, cooking mid-day meals, hand washing and use in toilets. Coverage of tap water supply is increased from 0.48 lakh to 9.28 lakh (88.91%) in schools and 0.25 lakh to 9.69 lakh (85.12%) in AWCs.

Water being a State subject, the responsibility of planning, approval, implementation, operation, and maintenance of drinking water supply schemes, lies with State/ UT Governments. States/ UTs have been advised, through numerous review meetings, field visits, etc., to ensure functionality of tap water connections provided inter alia including quality of water supplied as per JJM standards (BIS:10500).

In  addition,  up  to  2%  of  the  allocation  to  States/  UTs  for  Water  Quality  Monitoring  and Surveillance (WQM&S) activities which inter-alia includes setting up of and upgrading existing water quality laboratories at various levels, providing chemicals and consumables to laboratories, procurement of equipment's, instruments, chemicals/ reagents, glassware, consumables, procurement of Field Test Kits(FTKs) for chemical (including chlorine) and bacteriological water quality surveillance at grass root level and NABL accreditation/ recognition  of laboratories,  etc.;

States have been advised to conduct water quality tests using FTKs for common parameters along with area specific parameters including  Arsenic  and Fluoride at Schools, anganwadis and Gram Panchayat (GP) level for early identification of water borne risks. States/UTs have been advised to identify  and  train  5  women  from  local  community  to  conduct  water  quality  tests  using  FTKs  at Gram Panchayat (GP) level. Measured chlorination is considered an effective strategy against any bacteriological contamination and residual chlorine is an indicator of potable quality of water. This is ensured by the States through the measures mentioned above.

Further,  States/  UTs  have  also  been  advised  to  undertake  testing  of  water  quality  on  a  periodic basis and take remedial action wherever necessary, to ensure that the water supplied to households, schools, anganwadi centers is of prescribed quality.

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