Undergroundwater contamination in India- Possible Solutions

Arsenic contamination in India

In India, groundwater is a vital component of the country's urban and rural development and is used for various purposes, such as irrigation and domestic needs. Arsenic is a potent environmental contaminant that can be toxic if it gets into the water. Its concentration depends on the various characteristics of the aquifer. In the country, several states, including Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, are known to be affected by geogenic contamination of arsenic. According to a report released by the Jal Jeevan Mission in March 2022, there are over 1,500 habitations that are affected by arsenic in six states. These include Punjab, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand. In order to prevent the consumption of excessive amounts of arsenic, the country's Bureau of Indian Standards has set the recommended limit of 10 parts per billion (ppb) for drinking water. This level can affect the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems and increase the risk of skin and cancer. And remove arsenic from water, various conventional technologies can be used. These include membrane filtration, ion exchange, and adsorption. The WHO also suggests that safe storage and household water treatment are effective ways to deal with the issue of arsenic contamination. These technologies can be used in combination with other disinfection methods to treat the water. Compared to community-level systems, these technologies have an advantage over their counterparts in terms of reducing the chances of getting infected with secondary bacteria.

Arsenic Figures

Arsenic is present in two states in groundwater: As (III) and As (V). Although As (III) is more toxic, it can be easily removed by the As (V) process. One of the most common technologies that can be used to remove arsenic is the Biosand filter, which works under the force of gravity. According to government data, there is a significant quantity of toxic metals in groundwater that exceeds the standard. This issue is more prevalent in rural areas than in the cities. Data collected from various states revealed that lead, iron, chromium, and cadmium were found in various parts of the country. In addition, lead was also detected in parts of 21 states. The data also showed that there are over 14,079 iron-contaminated areas, 671 fluoride-contaminated sites, 8,814 arsenic-contaminated areas, 9,930 salinity-contaminated sites, and 1,517 nitrate-contaminated areas in the country.

Jalkalp - for arsenic removal

The Sehgal Foundation, a leading provider of sustainable bio-based water treatment technology, recently launched the JalKalp, a household water filter that can effectively remove various harmful elements such as iron, manganese, and microbial contamination. The design of the filter allows it to achieve optimal natural oxidation to As(V) to As(III). Through its partnership with Zero-Valent Iron, the company was able to create a unique adsorbent solution that can remove arsenic from the water. Jalkalp can effectively remove various harmful elements such as arsenic and microbial contamination. It was able to achieve an efficiency of around 95 percent and 99 percent, respectively, by removing the arsenic from the water using its unique adsorbent technology. However, the study, which was conducted in India, involved the use of a toxicological leaching procedure. It revealed that the water produced from the process was not hazardous and could be safely disposed of. In the Buxar district of Bihar, the JalKalp filter was able to reduce the arsenic levels in the water by about 1750 ppb.

Matikalp - low cost ceramic pot filter technology

The Sehgal Foundation is currently promoting the use of ceramic pot filters, which can effectively remove various harmful elements such as iron, microbial contamination, and turbidity, to improve the water quality in low-income households. Through its experiments, the company has been able to reduce the arsenic concentration in the water by about 600 ppb. The use of ZVI in the MatiKalp and JalKalp has helped the people who are affected by arsenic. Through its use, the two filters were able to reduce the iron contamination rate by over 50%. The community members were satisfied with the results of the study and were able to improve their economic and health outcomes. They also believed that drinking the filtered water was as pure as the river. To reinforce the message of safe drinking water, the Sehgal Foundation conducted a campaign to educate the youth about the importance of using ceramic pot filters.

In India, the use of ceramic pot filters and low-cost biosand filters can be considered as a sustainable solution to provide safe drinking water to the people who are affected by arsenic. The goal of the low-cost innovation is to provide a sustainable solution to one of the most critical developmental issues affecting the lives of people. It can help improve the quality of water for the people who are affected by arsenic and other harmful elements. This technology can be used in areas where water is contaminated with iron, arsenic, and microbial contamination. And the implementation of the technology depends on the end-users' realization of its full potential and their desire to amplify it in their area. This is why it is important that the end-users are able to see the benefits of the technology and contribute to its development. Both the MatiKalp and JalKalp have been able to help countries such as India reach the Sustainable Development Goals by making their implementation more effective.

Conclusion

In rural areas, the issue is more severe as over half of the country's population lives in these regions. The main sources of water that these areas rely on are the wells, ponds, and hand pumps. Unfortunately, there is no way to properly treat the water in these areas, which results in the consumption of poisonous water. In response to a written query in the Rajya Sabha, the government revealed that there are residential areas where drinking water sources have become contaminated. These include 671 areas where there is fluoride, 814 areas where there is arsenic, 14,079 areas where there is iron, 9,930 areas where there is salinity, 517 areas where nitrate, and 111 areas with heavy metals. Over 80 percent of the country's population relies on the ground for their water supply. If the levels of hazardous metals in the water exceed the prescribed standard, it can be considered as a public health issue. It's widely believed that a person should drink about three liters of water a day. However, according to the government documents, it is advised that individuals should drink at least two liters of water a day to stay healthy. The presence of harmful metals in the groundwater has a direct effect on the health of the country's population. Some of these include lead, arsenic, chromium, and uranium.

High levels of arsenic in the water can lead to various skin diseases and cancer. On the other hand, if the water has high levels of iron, it can cause diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. In addition, if the water has a high concentration of lead, it can affect the nervous system. Water is a state subject, and the states are responsible for providing drinking water to their citizens. The central government is also working on various initiatives to provide clean drinking water to the country's population. In August 2019, the government launched the Jal Shakti Mission, which aims to provide drinking water to every household in the country by 2024. In response to that, the government revealed that so far, almost 10 million households have been provided with tap water. Also In October 2021, the government launched the AMRUT 2.0 scheme, which aims to provide drinking water to all cities in the country by 2026. Under this initiative, the government has set a target of providing water to every household by 2024.

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(The views expressed are thoSe of the author and do not represent views of CESCUBE.)