Lok Sabha Question No. 184 (STARRED), answered on 2026-02-12
Subject: Testing of Drinking Water Samples in Karnataka
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri G Kumar Naik

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 184

ANSWERED ON 12/02/2026

## TESTING OF DRINKING WATER SAMPLES IN KARNATAKA

## *184.  SHRI G KUMAR NAIK:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether any independent testing of drinking water samples has been conducted in Karnataka during the last three  years under various programmes of the Government and if so, the details thereof indicating the number of samples tested, year and district-wise;

(b) the number and proportion of drinking water samples in Karnataka found to be contaminated or  non-compliant  with  prescribed  quality  standards  during  the  said  period,  contaminant-wise including fluoride, arsenic, iron, nitrate, salinity and microbial contamination;

(c) whether remedial measures have not been taken in any affected areas in the State and if so, the details thereof along with the reasons therefor;

(d) the steps taken by the Government to address contamination in affected areas in Karnataka; and

(e)  whether  any  additional  fiscal  support  or  special  funds  have  been  provided  to  districts  in Karnataka where water contamination has been found and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF JAL SHAKTI (SHRI C R PATIL)

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

*****

Statement referred to in the reply to parts (a) to (e) in respect of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. * 184  answered  on  12/02/2026  regarding  'Testing  of  Drinking  Water  Samples  in Karnataka' asked by Shri G Kumar Naik.

(a)  to  (e)  Drinking  Water  being  a  State  subject,  the  responsibility  of  Planning,  Designing, Approval, Implementation, Operation & Maintenance of drinking water supply schemes, including those under the Jal Jeevan Mission, is vested with State/UT Governments. The Government of India supplements the efforts of the States by providing technical and financial assistance. As reported  by  the  state  of  Karnataka,  testing  of  drinking  water  samples  has  been  conducted  in Karnataka during the last three years under Jal Jeevan Mission. Details of district wise samples tested in the last three years is enclosed in the Annexure-1.

As  reported  by  the  State,  the  detail  of  number  and  proportion  of  drinking  water  samples  in Karnataka found to be contaminated or non-compliant with respect to prescribed quality standards during 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 (as on date) are as under:

|                      | No. of samples tested in laboratory   | No. of samples tested in laboratory   | No. of samples found non- compliant with prescribed quality standards   | No. of samples found non- compliant with prescribed quality standards   |
|----------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Year                 | Tested for chemical parameters        | Tested for bacteriological parameters | No. of samples with chemical contamination                              | No. of samples with bacteriological contamination                       |
| 2023-24              | 251763                                | 46309                                 | 24917                                                                   | 4670                                                                    |
| 2024-25              | 272166                                | 118079                                | 17261                                                                   | 2574                                                                    |
| 2025-26 (as on date) | 196194                                | 50134                                 | 10911                                                                   | 452                                                                     |

Further,  the  details  of  contaminant-wise  (including  fluoride,  arsenic,  iron,  nitrate,  salinity  and microbial) contamination are enclosed in the Annexures 2(a), 2(b) and 2(c).

The state  of  Karnataka  has  reported  that  remedial  measures  have  been  taken  on  regular  basis pertaining  to  the  findings  of  water  quality  reports  followed  by  confirmatory  test  and  routine disinfection  and  cleaning  of  OHTs  are  consistently  carried  out.  Further,  formation  of  TASK FORCE Committee at District and Taluk level to overview water quality has been reported and SOP have been issued from the State Department of Karnataka.

As  reported  by  States/UTs,  as  on  10.02.2026,  there  are  2,870  drinking  water  quality  testing laboratories  (including  107  in  Karnataka)  at  different  levels  viz.  State,  regional,  district,  subdivision,  block,  mobile  and/  or  WTP  facility  laboratories  out  of  which  1,707  are  accredited/ recognised (including 80 in Karnataka).

Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, as per existing guidelines, Bureau of Indian Standards' BIS:10500 standards are adopted as benchmark 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 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. Moreover, 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 is of prescribed quality.

Under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), purely as an interim measure, States/ UTs have been advised to  install  community  water  purification  plants  (CWPPs)  especially  in  water  quality  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.

To  enable  the  States/  UTs  for  online  reporting  of  water  quality  monitoring  and  surveillance including test reports of water samples for water quality, sample collection etc. for drinking water, an online JJM - Water Quality Management Information System (WQMIS) portal has also been developed. The State-wise 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

In  consultation with various stakeholders 'Concise Handbook for Monitoring Water Quality of Piped  Drinking  Water  Supply  to  Rural  Households'  has  been  released  in  December  2024  for guidance to States/ UT's. This handbook recommended for a comprehensive testing of drinking water samples at various testing points such as source, treatment plant, storage and distribution points, and remedial action wherever necessary, to ensure that the water supplied to households is of prescribed quality.

As per the Operational Guidelines, States/ UTs can utilize up to 2% of their annual allocation of funds under JJM for Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance (WQM&S) activities, inter-alia, which includes 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, accreditation/recognition of laboratories, etc.

As  reported  by  the  state  of  Karnataka,  externally  aided  project  funds  under  the  Karnataka Sustainable Rural Water Supply Project (Programme Period 2023-2028) have been allocated for the installation of bacteriological disinfection system and the maintenance of laboratories.

*****

## Annexure referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *

Annexure-1 184  answered on 12.02.2026

| Details of Samples Tested from Independent Agency   | Details of Samples Tested from Independent Agency   | Details of Samples Tested from Independent Agency   | Details of Samples Tested from Independent Agency   | Details of Samples Tested from Independent Agency   |
|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                              | District Name                                       | 2023-24                                             | 2024-25                                             | 2025-26                                             |
| 1                                                   | Bagalkote                                           | 1050                                                | 152                                                 | 0                                                   |
| 2                                                   | Ballari                                             | 0                                                   | 4114                                                | 1434                                                |
| 3                                                   | Belagavi                                            | 2666                                                | 27                                                  | 0                                                   |
| 4                                                   | Bengaluru Rural                                     | 3                                                   | 2600                                                | 0                                                   |
| 5                                                   | Bengaluru Urban                                     | 1785                                                | 19                                                  | 0                                                   |
| 6                                                   | Bidar                                               | 0                                                   | 0                                                   | 1188                                                |
| 7                                                   | Chamarajanagara                                     | 762                                                 | 0                                                   | 0                                                   |
| 8                                                   | Chikkaballapura                                     | 3705                                                | 484                                                 | 0                                                   |
| 9                                                   | Chikkamagaluru                                      | 929                                                 | 1244                                                | 0                                                   |
| 10                                                  | Chitradurga                                         | 1512                                                | 0                                                   | 0                                                   |
| 11                                                  | Dakshina Kannada                                    | 0                                                   | 0                                                   | 0                                                   |
| 12                                                  | Davangere                                           | 2263                                                | 4                                                   | 0                                                   |
| 13                                                  | Dharwad                                             | 580                                                 | 13                                                  | 0                                                   |
| 14                                                  | Gadag                                               | 0                                                   | 0                                                   | 0                                                   |
| 15                                                  | Hassan                                              | 3608                                                | 13                                                  | 0                                                   |
| 16                                                  | Haveri                                              | 2464                                                | 2                                                   | 0                                                   |
| 17                                                  | Kalaburagi                                          | 934                                                 | 132                                                 | 1347                                                |
| 18                                                  | Kodagu                                              | 759                                                 | 0                                                   | 0                                                   |
| 19                                                  | Kolar                                               | 242                                                 | 4138                                                | 0                                                   |
| 20                                                  | Koppal                                              | 1716                                                | 0                                                   | 0                                                   |
| 21                                                  | Mandya                                              | 1984                                                | 409                                                 | 0                                                   |
| 22                                                  | Mysuru                                              | 1415                                                | 5265                                                | 0                                                   |
| 23                                                  | Raichur                                             | 0                                                   | 2282                                                | 1591                                                |
| 24                                                  | Ramanagara                                          | 2746                                                | 0                                                   | 0                                                   |
| 25                                                  | Shivamogga                                          | 1111                                                | 1537                                                | 0                                                   |
| 26                                                  | Tumakuru                                            | 1921                                                | 0                                                   | 0                                                   |
| 27                                                  | Udupi                                               | 0                                                   | 0                                                   | 0                                                   |
| 28                                                  | Uttara Kannada                                      | 0                                                   | 0                                                   | 0                                                   |
| 29                                                  | Vijayanagar                                         | 1215                                                | 1                                                   | 0                                                   |
| 30                                                  | Vijayapura                                          | 1341                                                | 52                                                  | 0                                                   |
| 31                                                  | Yadgir                                              | 780                                                 | 47                                                  | 1225                                                |
| Total                                               | Total                                               | 37491                                               | 22535                                               | 6785                                                |

•

S.No

1

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Total

Districts

Total

Alkalinity

Annexure 2(a)

2023-24

TDS

Total

Hardness

Iron

Arsenic

Fluoride Nitrate

E coli

Total

Coliform

## Drinking water samples found contaminated or non-compliant with prescribed quality standard (contaminant-wise) during 2023-24 Ballari Belagavi 97

3

0

4

| 27 338 444                     | 27 338 444                     | 27 338 444                     | 27 338 444                     | 27 338 444                     | 27 338 444                     | 27 338 444                     | 27 338 444                     | 27 338 444                     | 27 338 444                     | 27 338 444                     |
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
| Bidar 1 30 4 23 34 136 2 0 9 2 | Bidar 1 30 4 23 34 136 2 0 9 2 | Bidar 1 30 4 23 34 136 2 0 9 2 | Bidar 1 30 4 23 34 136 2 0 9 2 | Bidar 1 30 4 23 34 136 2 0 9 2 | Bidar 1 30 4 23 34 136 2 0 9 2 | Bidar 1 30 4 23 34 136 2 0 9 2 | Bidar 1 30 4 23 34 136 2 0 9 2 | Bidar 1 30 4 23 34 136 2 0 9 2 | Bidar 1 30 4 23 34 136 2 0 9 2 | Bidar 1 30 4 23 34 136 2 0 9 2 |
|                                | 7 92 53                        | 13 145                         | 34 33                          | 0                              | 389 9                          | 563 22                         | 404 14                         | 838 32                         |                                |                                |
|                                | 166 76                         | 220                            | 4                              | 0                              | 437                            | 504                            |                                | 106                            |                                |                                |
|                                |                                |                                | 12                             | 0                              | 1                              |                                | 0                              | 1                              |                                |                                |
|                                | 61 38                          | 123                            |                                | 0                              | 14                             | 86                             | 0                              | 235 80                         |                                |                                |
| Dharwad                        | 39 27                          | 85                             | 0                              | 0                              | 0                              | 71                             | 78                             |                                |                                |                                |
| Gadag                          | 5 53                           | 84                             | 6                              |                                | 27                             | 92                             | 0                              |                                |                                |                                |
| Hassan                         | 1                              | 20                             | 0                              | 0                              | 11                             | 20                             | 81                             | 182                            |                                |                                |
| Haveri                         | 12 55                          | 219                            |                                | 0                              | 17                             | 90                             | 0                              | 220                            |                                |                                |
|                                | 102 50                         | 144                            |                                | 0                              | 70                             | 128                            | 84 0                           | 85                             |                                |                                |
| Kodagu                         | 1                              |                                |                                | 0                              |                                | 9                              |                                |                                |                                |                                |
| Kolar                          | 7                              | 171                            |                                |                                | 77                             | 116                            | 0 0                            | 0 1                            |                                |                                |
| Koppal                         | 31 73 3                        | 278                            | 1                              | 0                              | 104                            | 296                            |                                |                                |                                |                                |
| Mandya                         | 64                             | 264                            |                                |                                | 31                             | 316                            | 48                             | 483                            |                                |                                |
| Mysuru                         | 1                              | 182                            |                                |                                | 1                              | 94                             | 0                              | 5 10                           |                                |                                |
| Raichur                        | 69 164                         | 252                            | 1 12                           | 0                              | 320                            | 262                            |                                |                                |                                |                                |
|                                | 8                              | 82                             |                                | 0                              | 36                             | 140                            |                                | 24                             |                                |                                |
|                                | 1                              |                                |                                |                                | 10                             |                                | 35                             | 57                             |                                |                                |
|                                | 108 15                         | 349                            | 20                             |                                | 211                            | 300                            | 0                              | 140 1                          |                                |                                |
| Udupi                          | 0 1                            | 3                              |                                |                                | 0                              | 3                              |                                |                                |                                |                                |
|                                |                                | 10                             | 55                             |                                | 2                              | 11                             |                                |                                |                                |                                |
|                                | 48 27                          | 78                             |                                | 0                              | 75                             | 28                             |                                | 60                             |                                |                                |
|                                | 129 91                         | 302                            | 1                              |                                | 196                            | 340                            | 117 56                         | 126 60                         |                                |                                |
| Yadgir                         | 9 3                            | 14                             | 1                              |                                |                                | 1                              |                                |                                |                                |                                |
|                                | 1165 1070                      | 3891                           | 322                            |                                | 2269                           | 4003                           | 1689                           | 3736                           |                                |                                |

1

Total

BENGALURU

Bengaluru Urban

CHAMARAJANAGA

Chikkaballapura

CHIKKAMAGALUR

Chitradurga

Dakshina Kannada

Davangere

Kalaburagi

RAMANAGARA

Shivamogga

TUMAKURU

Uttara Kannada

Vijayanagar

VIJAYAPURA

S.No

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

28

29

30

31

Total

•

Districts

Total

TDS

Annexure 2(b)

2024-25

Total

Iron

Total

Fluoride Nitrate E coli

Total

## Drinking water samples found contaminated or non-compliant with prescribed quality standard (contaminant-wise) during 2024-25 Ballari 8

Belagavi

BENGALURU

Bengaluru Urban

CHAMARAJANA

Chikkaballapura

CHIKKAMAGAL

Chitradurga

Dakshina Kannada

Davangere

Dharwad

Kalaburagi

Mandya

Mysuru

Raichur

RAMANAGARA

Shivamogga

TUMAKURU

Uttara Kannada

Vijayanagar

VIJA YAPURA

112

91

259

2

3

302

6

0

| 0 0 20 3 117 57 0 0    | 0 0 20 3 117 57 0 0    | 0 0 20 3 117 57 0 0    | 0 0 20 3 117 57 0 0    | 0 0 20 3 117 57 0 0    | 0 0 20 3 117 57 0 0    | 0 0 20 3 117 57 0 0    | 0 0 20 3 117 57 0 0    | 0 0 20 3 117 57 0 0    | 0 0 20 3 117 57 0 0    | 0 0 20 3 117 57 0 0    |
|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
| Bidar 3 7 5 25 74 1 20 | Bidar 3 7 5 25 74 1 20 | Bidar 3 7 5 25 74 1 20 | Bidar 3 7 5 25 74 1 20 | Bidar 3 7 5 25 74 1 20 | Bidar 3 7 5 25 74 1 20 | Bidar 3 7 5 25 74 1 20 | Bidar 3 7 5 25 74 1 20 | Bidar 3 7 5 25 74 1 20 | Bidar 3 7 5 25 74 1 20 | Bidar 3 7 5 25 74 1 20 |
|                        | 72                     | 21 97                  |                        | 29 •                   | 209                    | 382 98 127 79          | 0                      |                        |                        |                        |
|                        | 87                     | 40 138                 | 1                      |                        | 252                    | 231                    |                        |                        |                        |                        |
|                        |                        | 1                      | 87                     |                        |                        | 0                      |                        |                        |                        |                        |
|                        | 18                     | 68                     |                        |                        | 6                      | 56 47                  |                        |                        |                        |                        |
|                        | 11 18 10               | 53                     |                        |                        |                        | 22                     |                        |                        |                        |                        |
| Gadag                  | 2 51                   | 64                     |                        |                        | 28                     | 47                     | 0                      |                        |                        |                        |
| Hassan                 | 4                      | 11                     |                        | 0                      | 32                     | 12                     |                        |                        |                        |                        |
| Haveri                 | 1 24                   | 119                    |                        | 0                      |                        | 36 0                   |                        |                        |                        |                        |
|                        | 84 36                  | 122                    | 1                      |                        | 25                     | 83 13                  |                        |                        |                        |                        |
| Kodagu                 | 0                      |                        | 1                      | 0                      |                        | 3 0                    | 0                      |                        |                        |                        |
| Kolar                  | 7 11                   | 122                    | 0                      | 0                      | 72                     | 87 380                 | 0                      |                        |                        |                        |
| Koppal                 | 5 48                   | 294                    | 1                      | 0                      | 86                     | 349 196                |                        |                        |                        |                        |
|                        | 65                     | 3 236                  |                        |                        | 28                     | 373 201                | 0                      |                        |                        |                        |
|                        | 4 5                    | 223                    |                        |                        | 1                      | 21 235                 |                        |                        |                        |                        |
|                        | 26 91                  | 148                    | 5                      | 0                      | 279                    | 198 117                | 0                      |                        |                        |                        |
|                        | 9 2                    | 68                     | 0                      |                        | 39                     | 134                    |                        |                        |                        |                        |
|                        |                        | 1                      | 0                      |                        | 3                      | 92                     |                        |                        |                        |                        |
|                        | 65 28                  | 294                    | 1                      |                        | 248                    | 198 0                  |                        |                        |                        |                        |
| Udupi                  |                        | 0                      |                        |                        | 0                      | 0 2                    |                        |                        |                        |                        |
|                        | 3                      |                        | 20                     | 0                      |                        | 7 4                    |                        |                        |                        |                        |
|                        | 5 9                    |                        |                        |                        |                        | 0                      |                        |                        |                        |                        |
|                        | 44 87                  | 346                    |                        | 0                      | 209                    | 359 9                  |                        |                        |                        |                        |
| Yadgir                 | 23 29                  | 29                     | 2                      |                        | 0                      | 0 6                    |                        |                        |                        |                        |
|                        | 683                    | 3040                   | 155                    |                        | 1647                   | 3129 1894              |                        |                        |                        |                        |
|                        | 719                    |                        |                        |                        |                        |                        |                        |                        |                        |                        |

S.No

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Districts

Bagalkote

Ballari

Annexure 2(c)

2025-26

TDS

Iron

Fluoride Nitrate E coli

Total

Total

Total

Total

## Drinking water samples found contaminated or non-compliant with prescribed quality standard (contaminant-wise) during 2025-26

Belagavi

BENGALURU

Bengaluru Urban

Bidar

CHAMARAJANAGA

Chikkaballapura

CHIKKAMAGALUR

Chitradurga

Dakshina Kannada

Davangere

Dharwad

Gadag

Hassan

Haveri

Kalaburagi

Kodagu

Kolar

Koppal

Mandya

Mysuru

Raichur

RAMANAGARA

Shivamogga

TUMAKURU

Udupi

Uttara Kannada

Vijayanagar

VIJAYAPURA

Yadgir

Total

82

1

3

230

4

1

34

0

6

0

48

65

5

184

10

5

35

49

4

0

28

6

48

| 2 26 3   | 0 13   |     | 73 5   | 212   | 36   | 36   |
|----------|--------|-----|--------|-------|------|------|
| 40 1 7   | 76     |     | 241    | 21 4  | 7    |      |
| 14 1 5   |        |     | n •    | 26    |      |      |
| 0 1      | 42     |     |        | 22    |      |      |
| 0 8      | 38     |     | 3      | 3 14  |      |      |
| 0        |        |     | 5      |       |      |      |
| 1 23     | 164    |     | 9      | 41    |      |      |
| 60       | 76     |     | 32     | 37    |      |      |
| 1        |        |     |        |       |      |      |
| 0        | 5      |     | 107    | 70    |      |      |
|          | 212    |     | 89     | 285   |      |      |
| 36       | 142    |     | 25     | 336   |      |      |
| 5        | 131    | •   |        | 9     |      |      |
| 15 45    | 67     |     | 125    | 119   | 45   | 45   |
| 6 0      | 40     |     | 85     | 117   | 0    |      |
| 0        |        |     | 1      | 0     | 1    | 1    |
| 41 50    | 269    | 2 2 | 100    | 67    |      | 0    |
|          | 1      |     |        |       | 2    |      |
| 0 1      | 2      |     |        |       | 3    | 13   |
| 3 3      |        |     |        |       | 0    |      |
| 28 75    | 2 ,71  | 0   | 171    | 264   |      | 0    |
| 17       | 36     |     |        | 0     | 53   | 55   |
| 387 473  | 2145   | 114 | 1169   | 2224  | 315  | 333  |

3

0

0

## 0