Lok Sabha Question No. 6245 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-04-02
Subject: Water Quality Testing Laboratories
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Atul Garg, Shri Ravindra Dattaram Waikar, Shri Naresh Ganpat Mhaske, Dr. Shrikant Eknath Shinde, Shri Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne, Smt. Bharti Pardhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6245

ANSWERED ON 02/04/2026

## WATER QUALITY TESTING LABORATORIES

6245.   SHRI ATUL GARG: SHRI RAVINDRA DATTARAM WAIKAR: SHRI NARESH GANPAT MHASKE: DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE: SHRI SHRIRANG APPA CHANDU BARNE: SMT. BHARTI PARDHI:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) the number of water quality testing laboratories currently operational as on February 2026 to monitor drinking water safety across the country, particularly in Uttar Pradesh;

(b)  whether  there  are  any  plans  to  establish  additional  water  quality  testing  laboratories  to  expand monitoring capacity, particularly in underserved areas, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) the criteria used for prioritising locations for new laboratories to ensure comprehensive water quality coverage;

(d) the standards and technologies being adopted in these laboratories to ensure accurate and reliable water testing; and

(e) the manner in which this expanded laboratory network aligns with broader objectives of ensuring safe and potable water for all rural households?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e) Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is under implementation since August, 2019, in partnership with States/ UTs to make provision of potable tap water supply in adequate quantity, of prescribed quality and on regular & long-term basis to rural households. Under JJM, 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. 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.

As reported by States/ UTs on JJM - Water Quality Management Information System (JJM-WQMIS), the State Public Health Engineering/ Rural Water Supply Departments operated a network of 2,870 water quality testing laboratories as on February, 2026 at various levels viz. State, regional, district, subdivision, block, mobile and/ or WTP facility laboratories which increased to 2,874 water quality testing laboratories (including 145 in Uttar Pradesh) as on 30.03.2026.

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 (BIS:10500).  In  view  of  the  increased  frequency  and  scope  of  testing  prescribed  under  the  revised protocol  as  compared  to  earlier  recommendations,  States/UTs  have  been  advised  to  strengthen  and augment their water quality  testing  facilities,  including  in  underserved  areas,  to  meet  the  enhanced monitoring requirements. States/UTs may strengthen their existing laboratory infrastructure or adopt Public Private Partnership (PPP) modes, as per their requirements, to ensure adequate testing capacity.

Further,  States/UTs  have  been  advised  to  obtain  and  maintain  accreditation/  recognition  for  their drinking water testing laboratories, in order to ensure the reliability, accuracy, and credibility of the data they produce.

The enhanced laboratory coverage enables regular, timely and decentralised testing of drinking water sources  and  supply  systems,  early  detection  of  contamination,  and  prompt  corrective  action  by implementing agencies. This supports continuous water quality surveillance, strengthens community confidence in drinking water supplies, and contributes to the overall objective of providing safe drinking water on a sustainable basis in rural areas.

The Ministry of Housing Affairs (MoHUA) has informed that they have published Manual on Water Supply and Treatment Systems (Drink from Tap) in March 2024 for reference by the States/ ULBs for designing, implementation, drinking water quality and monitoring of the water supply projects.(https://mohua.gov.in/publication/manual-on-water-supplyandtreatment-systems---drink- from-tap---march-2024.php).  MoHUA  has  also  issued  an  advisory  "Strengthening  Water  Quality Monitoring in Cities through Community Participation" under AMRUT 2.0 in November, 2024 to all the States to formulate a Water Quality Monitoring strategy at the State or City level and to strengthen the institutional capacity for citywide monitoring of drinking water quality in urban areas along with Digital Display Boards for water quality parameters for public information & awareness.

Further,  AMRUT 2.0 Mission promotes 24x7 water supply with quality assurance, Drink from Tap (DfT) quality water in selected District Metered Areas (DMAs)/wards, online water quality monitoring, sensors and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), community participation, especially Women Self Help  Groups (SHGs), in water quality  testing.  258  water  supply  schemes  have  smart monitoring systems such as SCADA system under AMRUT, and 1,422 water supply projects under AMRUT 2.0 has provision for SCADA system.

Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has informed that there are 16 Regional Chemical Laboratories including Uttar Pradesh located at Lucknow, Jammu, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Raipur, Nagpur, Patna, Kolkata, Guwahati, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and

Thiruvananthapuram. These  laboratories  have  facilities  to  analyse  groundwater  samples  for  basic parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, nitrate, fluoride, etc., and heavy metals including iron (Fe),  arsenic  (As)  and  uranium.  CGWB  conducts  groundwater quality assessment throughout  the country in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which can be accessed through the following link:

https://cgwb.gov.in/cgwbpnm/public/uploads/documents/17333891661542642909file.pdf

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