Lok Sabha Question No. 274 (STARRED), answered on 2015-12-17
Subject: Reverse Osmosis Plants
Ministry: DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
Asked by: KRISHN PRATAP SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.274 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2015

## REVERSE OSMOSIS PLANTS

†274. DR. KRISHAN PRATAP: Will the Minister of DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION be pleased to state:

(a) the details of various technologies/ techniques for the treatment of water;

(b)  whether  the  Government  has  explored  the  possibility  of  setting  up  of  Reverse Osmosis Plants to meet the demand of drinking water, if so, the details thereof;

(c)  whether  the  Government  also  proposes  to  popularise  the  use  and  also  put  up community based Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plants in various States across the country;

(d)  if  so,  the  details  thereof,  State/  UT-wise  along  with  the  action  plan  drawn  in  this regard; and

(e)  the  steps  being  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure availability of safe drinking water in the country?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION

## (SHRI BIRENDER SINGH)

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

## Statement referred to in the reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 274 (14 th Position) due for answer on 17/12/2015

- (a) Technology  for  water  treatment  vary  with  the  chemical  and  bacteriological contaminantion in raw-water, to be treated for providing safe drinking water. In  conventional  piped  water  supply  schemes  using  surface  water  source,  the water treatment plant may comprise of unit processes like aeration, sedimentation,  clariflocculation,  filtration  and  disinfection.  In  piped  water supply schemes based on safe groundwater, the general unit processes adopted are sedimentation and disinfection. If the groundwater is found turbid, then a filtration  unit  is  also  included.  Major  technologies  for  removal  of  arsenic  are adsorption, co-precipitation, nano-technology. For fluoride removal, the technology  include  processes  like  electrolytic  de-fluoridation,  adsorption  and nano-technology.  Salinity  removal,  in  general,  is  achieved  through  Reverse Osmosis  (RO)  technology.  Nitrate  removal  can  be  achieved  through  ionexchange, RO and biological de-nitrification. Iron removal technologies include aeration and terracotta filtration.
- (b) to (d): Rural drinking water supply is a State Subject. Choice of technology, including RO,  is  done  only  by  the  State  Government.  The  Ministry  facilitates  State Governments technically through publications such as Handbook on Drinking  Water  Treatment  Technologies.  Further,  a  High  Level  Committee has been constituted by the Ministry, which is chaired by Dr. R.A. Mashelkar. The  Committee  shortlists  the  technologies  submitted  to  the  Ministry and provides  the  States  access  to  basket  of  appropriate  technologies.   State Governments have not fully uploaded the status of installation of RO plants into  the  online  Integrated  Management  Information  System  (IMIS)  of  the Ministry.  However,  during  various  discussions,  review  meetings,  video conferences and data on IMIS, 7,368 Community Water Purification Plants, mostly using RO technology, have been reported installed till date. State-wise number  of  such  Plants  commissioned  so  far  is  given  in Annexure .  Since prolonged  consumption  of  arsenic  or  fluoride  contaminated  water  may result in  serious health problems, the States have been advised to commission  Community  Water  Purification  Plants  in  all  the  remaining arsenic  and  fluoride  affected  habitations  by  March  2017.  The  States  may choose any technology, including RO technology, as the option for community water purification plants.
- (e):         The Ministry has prepared a Strategy Plan to provide safe drinking water to 90% of the rural population of the country  preferably through surface water based piped water supply schemes by the year 2022 as a long-term sustainable solution, subject to availability of adequate funds.

## Annexure-referred in para- (d) of the reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 274 due for reply on 17/12/2015

State-wise number of Community Water Purification Plants reported by States during discussions, reviews, video conferencing and IMIS

| S.No:   | Name of the State   |   No: of Community water purification plants installed |
|---------|---------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
| 1       | Kerala              |                                                     27 |
| 2       | Puducherry          |                                                     24 |
| 3       | Jharkhand           |                                                    100 |
| 4       | Punjab              |                                                   1824 |
| 5       | Karnataka           |                                                   1502 |
| 6       | Haryana             |                                                    121 |
| 7       | Gujarat             |                                                    126 |
| 8       | Andhra Pradesh      |                                                     26 |
| 9       | Telangana           |                                                    938 |
| 10      | Rajasthan           |                                                    850 |
| 11      | Tamil Nadu          |                                                     17 |
| 12      | Maharashtra         |                                                    180 |
| 13      | Madhya Pradesh      |                                                   1278 |
| 14      | Uttar Pradesh       |                                                      4 |
| 15      | Chhattisgarh        |                                                      5 |
| 16      | West B engal        |                                                    330 |
| 17      | Bihar               |                                                      1 |
| 18      | Assam               |                                                     15 |
|         | Total               |                                                   7368 |