Lok Sabha Question No. 6290 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-04-02
Subject: Review of Water Quality Issues
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Ummeda Ram Beniwal

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6290 ANSWERED ON 02/04/2026

## REVIEW OF WATER QUALITY ISSUES

## 6290.   SHRI UMMEDA RAM BENIWAL:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has reviewed water quality issues such as fluoride and salinity in desert districts;
- (b) if so, the findings thereof; and
- (c) the remedial measures being implemented in affected regions of the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c) Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is under implementation since August, 2019, in partnership with States/  UTs  including  States  with  desert  district  to  make  provision  of  potable  tap  water  supply  in adequate quantity, of prescribed quality and on regular & long-term basis to rural households. 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 (JJM), is vested with State/UT Governments. The Government of India supplements the efforts of the States/ UTs by providing financial, policy guidance and technical assistance.

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 including fluoride and salinity.  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. Further, 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 (to the tune of 8-10 litres per capita per day) till the commissioning of piped water supply schemes compliant to JJM standards.

In consultation with various stakeholders 'Concise Handbook for Monitoring Water Quality of Piped Drinking Water Supply to Rural Households' was 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 (BIS:10500).

Another  Handbook  on  Drinking  Water  Treatment  Technologies  was  released  in  March  2023  to disseminate information regarding technologies available amongst all stakeholders to understand and implement the new technologies that address local issues and challenges faced in water-quality affected villages. The States may take up appropriate numbers of water treatment system of one or a combination of technologies depending upon techno-economic feasibility.

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