Lok Sabha Question No. 2801 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-12
Subject: Technological Interventions for Groundwater Contamination under JJM
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Shashank Mani

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2801

ANSWERED ON - 12.12.2024

## TECHNOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS FOR GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION UNDER JJM

## 2801. SHRI. SHASHANK MANI

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) has encountered challenges related to groundwater contamination in ensuring supply of safe drinking water;

(b)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  address these challenges;

(c)  whether the Government is leveraging technology such as Internet of Things (IoT) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping to improve water resource management and monitoring under the JJM; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b) Yes, the mandate of the Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation is limited to rural drinking water supply. Government of India, in partnership with States, is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) since August, 2019 to provide potable tap water supply in adequate quantity, of prescribed quality and on regular & long-term basis to every rural household in the  country.  Drinking  Water  being  a  state  subject,  the  responsibility  of  planning,  approval, implementation,  operation,  and  maintenance  of  drinking  water  supply  schemes,  including those  under  the  Jal  Jeevan  Mission,  lies  with  State/UT  Governments.  The  Government  of India supports the States by providing technical and financial assistance.

Under Jal Jeevan Mission, as per existing guidelines, Bureau of Indian Standards' BIS:10500 standards are adopted as benchmarks for quality of water being supplied through the piped water supply schemes. Under JJM, while planning water supply schemes to provide tap water supply to households, priority is  given to  quality-affected  habitations.  While  allocating  the

funds to States/ UTs in a particular financial year, 10% weightage is given to the population residing  in  habitations  affected  by  chemical  contaminants  such  as  Arsenic,  Fluoride,  Iron, salinity, Nitrate and Heavy Metals.

Under  JJM,  it  was  envisaged  that  planning,  implementation  and  commissioning  of  piped water  supply  scheme  based  on  a  safe  water  source  may  take  time,  therefore,  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 to meet their drinking and cooking requirements. Since launch of JJM,  due  to  the  efforts  taken  under  the  mission,  the  number  of  reported  quality  affected habitations  have  reduced  over  the  years  from  57,539  in  August,  2019  to  12,080  as  on 09/12/2024. Further, provision of safe drinking water for cooking and drinking requirements has  been  made  available  in  all  the  remaining  314  Arsenic  and  255  Fluoride  affected habitations through CWPPs/ IHPs.

A  Handbook  on  Drinking  Water  Treatment  Technologies  was  released  in  March  2023  to disseminate  information  regarding  new  technologies  available  amongst  all  stakeholders  to improve  the  performance  and  implementation  of  drinking  water  treatment  plants  using technologies that address local issues and challenges faced in water-quality affected villages. The States may take up appropriate water treatment system depending upon techno-economic feasibility.

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 Statewise details of water quality test reported through WQMIS are available in public domain and can be accessed at:

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

States/UTs have been advised to carry out testing of water quality on a regular basis and take remedial  action  wherever  necessary,  to  ensure  that  the  water  supplied  to  households  is  of prescribed quality.

Government of  India launched Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan  (JSA)  in  2019,  a  time  bound  campaign with a mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including ground water conditions  in  the  water  stressed  blocks  of  256  districts  in  India.  In  this  regard,  teams  of officers from Central Government along with technical officers from Ministry of Jal Shakti were deputed to visit water stressed districts and to work in close collaboration with district level officials to undertake suitable interventions. The improved groundwater recharge due to construction  of  artificial  recharge  structures  and  increased  water  harvesting  is  likely  to significantly contribute towards reducing the contaminants level in the aquifer waters.

Under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urhan Transformation (AMRUT) was launched on 25th  June,  2015  in  selected  500  cities  of  the  country  with  focus  on  development  of  urban infrastructure  in  various  sectors  including  water  supply.  State/UTs  have  the  option  to  take projects  on  special  water  supply  arrangements  for  difficult  areas,  hill  and  coastal  cities, including those having water quality problems.

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.

CGWB has constructed several exploratory and observation wells in the Country tapping the Arsenic  safe  deeper  aquifer  zones  delineated  through  exploration  aided  detailed  aquifer mapping under National Aquifer Mapping programme. Successful wells have been handed over to the State Governments for their purposeful utilization. Further, CGWB is providing technical  assistance  to  the  States  by  sharing  the  cement  sealing  technology  for  tapping contamination free aquifers in Gangetic flood plains.

(c) & (d) Yes, to set up a proper mechanism for continuous measurement and monitoring of these  water  supply  systems  to  ensure  their  long-term  sustenance.  In  May  2021,  while releasing  report  of  Expert  Committee  constituted  by  DDWS  for  suggesting  roadmap  for measurement and monitoring of water service  delivery,  State/  UTs  were  requested  to  start installation of IoT sensors in rural water supply infrastructure.

Subsequently, to enable the deployment of such smart water management solutions, DDWS conducted  an  ICT  Grand  Challenge  program  through  which  100  pilot  IoT  solutions  were implemented  across  Country.  Additionally,  18  IoT  sensors  were  deployed  by  JJM-Sector Partners or States/ UTs. To facilitate State/UTs in procurement of IoT solutions, NJJM got the service category launched on the GeM portal. Consequently, the States started to step-in towards the installation of IoT sensors in water supply infrastructure.

Moreover, the functioning of the IoT sensors deployed in the States has been integrated with JJM dashboard i.e. the data monitored by sensors is reflected at JJM dashboard. Details may be seen at:

https://ejalshakti.gov.in/jjmreport/Iot/IoTMonitoring.aspx

As far as Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping is concerned, it is stated that as per  provisions  of  the  JJM  Operational  guidelines;  to  bring  transparency  and  monitoring, States  are  required  to  geo-tag  all  the  assets  of  water  supply  schemes.  Every  infrastructure asset  either  new  or  otherwise  will  be  geo-tagged  including  washing  and  bathing  places, greywater collection and treatment plants, source sustainability structures, etc.

As  on  date,  as  per  data  provided  by  States,  around  8.56  Lakhs  piped  water  supply  water source, 5.97 Lakhs scheme information board, 3.28 Lakhs storage structures 2.16 Lakhs other water assets have been Geo-tagged. The State-wise details may kindly be seen at:

https://ejalshakti.gov.in/JJM/JJMReports/BasicInformation/Geo\_tagging\_Summary.aspx

Further, this department has also mapped around 4.5 lakh KMs. of bulk village water supply pipeline infrastructure at PM Gatishakti portal through GIS mapping.

<!-- image -->