Water Pollution

Water Pollution 

Water pollution is the addition/presence of undesirable substances to/in water such as organic, inorganic, biological, radiological, heat, which degrades the quality of water so that it becomes unfit for use’. Natural sources of pollution of water are soil erosion, leaching of minerals from rocks (due to natural solubility and solubility triggered by acid rain) and decaying of organic matter.

Point and nonpoint sources of pollution

• When pollutants are discharged from a specific location such as a drain pipe carrying industrial effluents discharged directly into a water body it represents point source pollution.
• In contrast, non-point sources include discharge of pollutants from diffuse sources or from a larger area such as runoff from agricultural fields, grazing lands, construction sites, abandoned mines and pits, etc.

Causes of Water Pollution

Sewage Water

• Sewage water includes discharges from houses and other establishments.
• The sewage contains human and animal excreta, food residues, cleaning agents, detergents, etc.
• Domestic and hospital sewage contain many undesirable pathogenic microorganisms.

Dissolved Oxygen (DO)

• Presence of organic and inorganic wastes in water decreases the dissolved oxygen content of the water.
• Water having DO content below 8.0 mg/L may be considered as contaminated.
• Water having DO content below. 4.0 mg/L is considered to be highly polluted.
• DO content of water is important for the survival of aquatic organisms.
• A number of factors like surface turbulence, photosynthetic activity, O2 consumption by organisms and decomposition of organic matter are the factors which determine the amount of DO present in water.
• The higher amounts of waste increase the rates of decomposition and O2 consumption thereby decreases the DO content of water.

Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)

• Water pollution by organic wastes is measured in terms of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD).
• BOD is the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by bacteria in decomposing the organic wastes present in water. It is expressed in milligrams of oxygen per litre of water.
• The higher value of BOD indicates low DO content of water.
• Since BOD is limited to biodegradable materials, it is not a reliable method of measuring water pollution.

Chemical oxygen demand (COD)

• Chemical oxygen demand (COD) is a slightly better mode used to measure pollution load in the water.
• COD measures the amount of oxygen in parts per million required to oxidise organic (biodegradable and non-biodegradable) and oxidizable inorganic compounds in the water sample.

Industrial Wastes

• Discharge of wastewater from industries like petroleum, paper manufacturing, metal extraction and processing, chemical manufacturing, etc., that often contain toxic substances, notably, heavy metals (defined as elements with density > 5 g/cm3 such as mercury, cadmium, copper, lead, arsenic) and a variety of organic compounds.

Agricultural sources

• Agricultural runoff contains dissolved salts such as nitrates, phosphates, ammonia and other nutrients, and toxic metal ions and organic compounds.
• Fertilisers contain major plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
• Excess fertilisers may reach the groundwater by leaching or may be mixed with surface water.
• Pesticides include insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, etc. They contain a wide range of chemicals such as chlorinated hydrocarbons (CHCs. E.g. DDT, Endosulfan etc.), organophosphates, metallic salts, carbonates, etc.
• Many of the pesticides are non-degradable, and their residues have a long life.
• Wastes from poultry farms, piggeries and slaughterhouses etc. reach the water through runoff.

Thermal and Radiation Pollution

• Power plants – thermal and nuclear, chemical and other industries use a lot of water for cooling purposes, and the used hot water is discharged into rivers, streams or oceans.
• Discharge of hot water may increase the temperature of the receiving water by 10 to 15 °C above the ambient water temperature. This is thermal pollution.
• Increase in water temperature decreases dissolved oxygen in the water.
• Unlike terrestrial organisms, aquatic organisms are adapted to a uniform steady temperature of the environment. A sudden rise in temperature kills fishes and other aquatic animals.
• One of the best methods of reducing thermal pollution is to store the hot water in cooling ponds, allow the water to cool before releasing into any receiving water body
• Nuclear accidents near water bodies or during natural calamities like tsunami and earthquakes pose the risk of radiation leakage (radiation exposure) into water bodies. E.g. Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.
• Radiation exposure causes mutations in the DNA of marine organisms. If those mutations are not repaired, the cell may turn cancerous.
• Radioactive iodine tends to be absorbed by the thyroid gland and can cause thyroid cancer.

Marine pollution

• Oceans are the ultimate sink of all natural and manmade pollutants.
• The sewerage and garbage of coastal cities are also dumped into the sea.
• The other sources of oceanic pollution are navigational discharge of oil, grease, detergents, sewage, garbage and radioactive wastes, offshore oil mining, oil spills.

Oil Spills

• The most common cause of oil spill is leakage during marine transport and leakage from underground storage tanks.
• An oil spill could occur during offshore oil production as well.

Impact of oil spill on marine life

• Oil being lighter than water covers the water surface as a thin film cutting off oxygen to floating plants and other producers.
• Within hours of an oil spill, the fishes, shellfish, plankton die due to suffocation and metabolic disorders.
• Birds and sea mammals that consume dead fishes and plankton die due to poisoning.

Invasive species

• Plants of water hyacinth are the world’s most problematic aquatic weed, also called ‘Terror of Bengal’.
• They grow abundantly in eutrophic water bodies and lead to an imbalance in the ecosystem.
• They cause havoc by their excessive growth leading to stagnation of polluted water.

Underground water pollution

• In India at many places, the groundwater is threatened with contamination due to seepage from industrial and municipal wastes and effluents, sewage channels and agricultural runoff.
• Pollutants like fluorides, uranium, heavy metals and nutrients like nitrates and phosphates are common in many parts of India.

Nitrates

• Dissolved nitrates commonly contaminate groundwater.
• Excess nitrate in drinking water reacts with haemoglobin to form non-functional methaemoglobin and impairs oxygen transport. This condition is called methemoglobinemia or blue baby syndrome.

Methaemoglobin is a form of the oxygen-carrying metalloprotein haemoglobin. Methaemoglobin cannot bind oxygen, unlike oxyhaemoglobin.

• High levels of nitrates may form carcinogens and can accelerate eutrophication in surface waters.

Trace metals

• Include lead, mercury, cadmium, copper, chromium and nickel.
• These metals can be toxic and carcinogenic.

Arsenic

• Seepage of industrial and mine discharges, fly ash ponds of thermal power plants can lead to arsenic in groundwater.
• In India and Bangladesh (Ganges Delta), millions of people are exposed to groundwater contaminated with high levels of arsenic, a highly toxic and dangerous pollutant.
• Chronic exposure to arsenic causes black foot disease. It also causes diarrhoea and also lung and skin cancer.

Fluoride

• Excess fluoride in drinking water causes neuromuscular disorders, gastrointestinal problems, teeth deformity, hardening of bones and stiff and painful joints (skeletal fluorosis).
• Pain in bones and joint and outward bending of legs from the knees is called Knock-Knee syndrome.
• Fluorosis is a common problem in several states of the country due to the intake of high fluoride content water.

Nonylphenol (NP) :

• A study revealed the presence of high levels of toxic chemical NP in drinking water across India. 
• Nonylphenol is commonly used in the production of Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPEs).
• NPEs used as surfactants and in day-to-day consumer products such as detergents, wetting agents and dispersants. 
• Impacts in Human: Endocrine disruptor associated with adverse effects like birth defects, skin and eye irritation etc.
• The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has designated NP as a chemical of global concern. o No standards exclusively for NP in drinking and surface waters in India.

Endosulfan :

• The Supreme Court (SC) directed Kerala to pay ₹5 lakh compensation to each victim of toxic Endosulfan pesticide. 
• Endosulfan: An organochlorine biocide used for controlling pests and mites by generating neurotoxic effects. 
• Sprayed on cotton, cashew, fruits, tea, paddy, and tobacco etc.
• Banned in 2011 by SC and under Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. 
• Complete ban w.e.f of December 2020 was also put on Alachlor, Dichlorvos, Trichlorfon, Phosphamidon, methyl parathion, phorate and triazophos. 

Chlorpyrifos, fipronil, atrazine and paraquat :

• According to a report by the Pesticide Action Network (PAN) a non-profit body, chlorpyrifos, fipronil, atrazine and paraquat are being used in excess in various states than what has been recommended by the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee, India’s pesticides regulator.
• Chlorpyrifos is used to control foliage and soil-borne insect pests. o Fipronil used to control ants, beetles, cockroaches, fleas, etc. 
• Atrazine used to selectively control annual grasses and broadleaf weeds before they emerge. 
• Paraquat is a herbicide used primarily to control weed and grass control.

Microplastics:

• Less than 5mm in size 
• Include microfibres (most abundant), fragments, pellets, flakes, sheets or foams. 
• Enter water bodies through atmospheric deposition, run-off from contaminated land or through municipal wastewater. 

Key findings of the study : Using Raman spectroscopy, microplastics and toxic chemicals containing the cyclohexyl functional group were detected which were found responsible for the ailments in the fish. Chemicals containing the cyclohexyl group are commonly used in agriculture and the pharmaceutical industry.

Nanoplastics:

Researchers have developed a new, metallic fingerprint-based method to detect and measure the amount of nanoplastics in organisms.  Researchers exposed lettuce plants to nanoplastics from commonly found plastic waste in the environment — polystyrene (PS) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) nanoplastics. 

Nanoplastics: 

• Smaller than 1,000 nanometres (1 nm is equal to one billionth of a metre). 
• Can lead to cell damage and inflammation in humans; growth impairments, larval deformities and other toxic effects in marine organisms.

Effects of Water Pollution 

Effects of Water Pollution on Human Health

• Domestic and hospital sewage contain many undesirable pathogenic microorganisms, and its disposal into water without proper treatment may cause an outbreak of serious diseases, such as typhoid, cholera, etc.
• Metals like lead, zinc, arsenic, copper, mercury and cadmium in industrial wastewaters adversely affect humans and other animals.
• Consumption of such arsenic polluted water leads to accumulation of arsenic in the body parts like blood, nails and hairs causing skin lesions, rough skin, dry and thickening of the skin and ultimately skin cancer.
• Mercury compounds in wastewater are converted by bacterial action into extremely toxic methyl mercury, which can cause numbness of limbs, lips and tongue, deafness, blurring of vision and mental derangement.
• Pollution of water bodies by mercury causes Minamata (neurological syndrome) disease in humans.
• Lead causes lead poisoning (Lead interferes with a variety of body processes and is toxic to many organs and tissues).
• The compounds of lead cause anaemia, headache, loss of muscle power and bluish line around the gum.
• Water contaminated with cadmium can cause itai itai disease also called ouch-ouch disease (a painful disease of bones and joints) and cancer of lungs and liver.

Effects of Water Pollution on the Environment

• Microorganisms involved in biodegradation of organic matter in sewage waste consume a lot of oxygen and make water oxygen deficient, killing fish and other aquatic creatures.
• Presence of large amounts of nutrients in water results in algal bloom (excessive growth of planktonic algae. This leads to ageing of lakes.
• A few toxic substances, often present in industrial wastewaters, can undergo biological magnification (Biomagnification) in the aquatic food chain. This phenomenon is well-known for mercury and DDT.
• High concentrations of DDT disturb calcium metabolism in birds, which causes thinning of eggshell and their premature breaking, eventually causing a decline in bird populations.

Effects of Water Pollution on Aquatic Ecosystem

• Polluted water reduces Dissolved Oxygen (DO) content, thereby, eliminates sensitive organisms like plankton, molluscs and fish etc.
• However, a few tolerant species like Tubifex (annelid worm) and some insect larvae may survive in highly polluted water with low DO content. Such species are recognized as indicator species for polluted water.
• Biocides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and heavy metals directly eliminate sensitive aquatic organisms.
• Hot waters discharged from industries, when added to water bodies, lowers its DO content.

Eutrophication

• Lakes receive their water from surface runoff and along with its various chemical substances and minerals.
• Over periods spanning millennia, ageing occurs as the lakes accumulate mineral and organic matter and gradually, get filled up.
• The nutrient-enrichment of the lakes promotes the growth of algae, aquatic plants and various fauna. This process is known as natural eutrophication.
• Similar nutrient enrichment of lakes at an accelerated rate is caused by human activities and the consequent ageing phenomenon is known as cultural eutrophication.
• On the basis of their nutrient content, lakes are categorized as Oligotrophic (very low nutrients), Mesotrophic (moderate nutrients) and Eutrophic (highly nutrient rich).
• A vast majority of lakes in India are either eutrophic or mesotrophic because of the nutrients derived from their surroundings or organic wastes entering them.

Eutrophication and Algal Bloom

• Eutrophic water body: it is a body of water rich in nutrients and so supporting a dense plant population, the decomposition of which kills animal life by depriving it of oxygen.
• Eutrophication is the response to the addition of nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates naturally or artificially, fertilising the aquatic ecosystem.
• Phytoplankton (algae and blue-green bacteria) thrive on the excess nutrients and their population explosion covers almost entire surface layer. This condition is known as algal bloom.

Mechanism

• Phytoplankton are photosynthetic during day time adding oxygen to the aquatic ecosystem.
• But during nights, they consume far more oxygen as they respire aggressively.
• i.e. Algal blooms accentuate the rate of oxygen depletion as the population of phytoplankton is very high.
• The primary consumers like small fish are killed due to oxygen deprivation caused by algal blooms.
• Death of primary consumers adversely affects the food chain.
• Further, more oxygen is taken up by microorganisms during the decomposition process of dead algae, plants and fishes.
• The new anaerobic conditions (absence of oxygen) created to promote the growth of bacteria such as Clostridium botulinum which produces toxins deadly to aquatic organisms, birds and mammals.

• Water temperature has also been related to the occurrence of algal blooms, with unusually warm water being conducive to blooms.
• Algal blooms can be any colours, but the most common ones are red or brown. These blooms are commonly referred to as red or brown tides.

Effects of Eutrophication

• Loss of freshwater lakes: Eutrophication eventually creates detritus layer in lakes and produces successively shallower depth of surface water.
• Eventually, the water body is reduced into marsh whose plant community is transformed from an aquatic environment to a recognizable terrestrial environment.
• Algal Blooms restrict the penetration of sunlight resulting in the death of aquatic plants and hence restricts the replenishment of oxygen.
• New species invasion: Eutrophication may cause the ecosystem competitive by transforming the normal limiting nutrient to abundant level. This cause shifting in species composition of the ecosystem.
• Loss of coral reefs: Occurs due to decrease in water transparency (increased turbidity).
• Affects navigation due to increased turbidity; creates colour (yellow, green, red), smell and water treatment problems; increases biomass of inedible toxic phytoplankton, benthic and epiphytic algae and bloom of gelatinous zooplankton.

Harmful Algal Blooms

• Most algal blooms are not harmful, but some produce toxins. These are known as Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs).
• Toxicity: Some algal blooms when died or eaten, release neuro & hepatotoxins which can kill aquatic organism & pose a threat to humans. E.g. Shellfish poisoning.
• HAB events adversely affect commercial and recreational fishing, tourism, and valued habitats, creating a significant impact on local economies and the livelihood of coastal residents.

Dead zones

• Dead zones (biological deserts) are increasing in the coastal delta and estuarine regions.
• Hypoxic zones (zones deprived of oxygen) can occur naturally (due to upwelling of nutrients).
• They can be created or enhanced by human activity to form dead zones.
• Dead zones are areas in the ocean with very low oxygen concentration (hypoxic conditions).
• Dead zones emerge when influx of chemical nutrients spur algae growth.
• These zones usually occur 200-800 meters (in the saltwater layer) below the surface.
• Dead zones are detrimental to animal life. Most of the animal life either dies or migrates from the zone.
• One of the largest dead zones forms in the Gulf of Mexico every spring (farmers fertilise their crops and rain washes fertilizer off the land and into streams and rivers).
• There’s a dead zone in Gulf of Oman and it’s growing.

Mitigation of Eutrophication

• Treating Industrial effluents domestic sewage to remove nutrient-rich sludge through wastewater processing.
• Riparian buffer: Interfaces between a flowing body of water and land created near the waterways, farms, roads, etc. in an attempt to filter pollution.
• Sediments and nutrients are deposited in the buffer zones instead of deposition in water (Wetlands, estuaries are natural riparian buffers).
• Increase in efficiency of nitrogen & phosphorous fertilisers and using them at inadequate levels.
• Nitrogen testing & modelling: N-Testing is a technique to find the optimum amount of fertiliser required for crop plants. It will reduce the amount of nitrogen lost to the surrounding area.
• Encouraging organic farming.
• Reduction in nitrogen emission from vehicles and power plants.

Harmful Algal Blooms

• Algae or phytoplankton are microscopic organisms that can be found naturally in coastal waters.
• They are major producers of oxygen and food for many of the animals that live in these waters.
• When environmental conditions are favourable for their development, these cells may multiply rapidly and form high numbers of cells, and this is called an algal bloom.

UN 2023 Water Conference (New York from March 22-24, 2023) : It will be the second UN Conference dedicated to water after the one held in Mar del Plata, Argentina, in 1977. UN has launched a global campaign called ‘Be the Change’ to mark World Water Day 2023.

About :

The water conference brings together people from different countries and organisations to work together on solving global water challenges. Water problems are usually local, but by working together, countries can learn from each other, share technology, and invest in solutions.

The UN 2023 Water Conference’s theme, “Our watershed moment: uniting the world for water,” aimed to support the achievement of water-related global goals and objectives, including those enumerated in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

What are the Outcomes of the New Water Conference?

The complexity of today’s water problems was reflected in the conference’s proceedings, resulting in fragmented discussions, and no binding commitments. Instead, there were 713 diverse voluntary commitments by philanthropic donors, governments, corporations, and NGOs. The following are some commitments announced at the event, with examples of projects that showed potential:

Technology:

There were specific innovations in wastewater treatment or solar treatment of water in remote areas, and several proposals for incubation platforms, including the IBM Sustainability Accelerator, focused on water management.

Data and Models:

Before every large investment, we must anticipate potential impact. Simulations are often important to do this, and they need large amounts of input data. Cost-effective approaches to data-generation included sensors and satellite data. Other efforts, like the World Meteorological Organization’s Hydrological Status and Outlook System, offered data analysis tools.

Knowledge Sharing:

Solutions to most of these problems already exist, but each region and country often reinvents the wheel. We need to accelerate cross-learning. One useful tool here was the W12+ Blueprint, a UNESCO platform that hosts city profiles and case studies of programs, technologies, and policies that address common water security challenges.

Capacity Building:

Many people lack access to basic services because they are unable to advocate for themselves and because infrastructure projects are designed for and by powerful actors in society. Efforts like the Making Rights Real initiative offered to help marginalised communities and women understand how to exercise their rights.The ‘Water for Women Fund’ offered support mechanisms for more effective and sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene outcomes for women.

Incentives :

The conference highlighted that the lack of incentives is a major hindrance for farmers and industries to use water efficiently and sustainably. The integration of environmental, social, and corporate governance into the Water Action Agenda is a positive step towards effective water governance.

However, the success of these commitments depends on how they are carried forward during the HLPF (High-level Political Forum) and the COP28 climate talks to be held in Dubai. It is crucial for consumers to be willing to pay a premium for sustainably produced goods to encourage farmers to adopt sustainable practices.

What are the Challenges Need to Address?

• The water sector is particularly prone to fragmentation because water problems tend to be local and need local solutions. The conference had ambitious goals, including identifying game-changing ideas, making recommendations to policymakers on how to speed- and scale-up change, placing water at the centre of the climate agenda, and learning from the experiences of others, transfer technology, and invest.

 

• Improving access to safe drinking water and sanitation is not enough to ensure sustained access to these resources. Groundwater over-abstraction, which is mostly driven by agricultural pumping, is a major problem that leads to water scarcity and contamination.

 

• In places like Punjab or the Cauvery delta, where there is heavy irrigation, the only solution is to pump less water. This, however, requires agricultural policies to change, which in turn requires collaboration among different agencies and ministries. The problem is no longer just about access to water and sanitation, but also about  sustaining agriculture, industry, and natural ecosystems.

The remaining SDG 6 targets aim to address this issue by promoting better governance, improving efficiency of irrigation water use, restoring water quality in lakes and rivers, and improving wastewater management. These problems cannot be solved by infrastructure alone, but require tough political choices, agency empowerment, and strengthening democratic processes.

Note: The 2030 Water Resources Group (2030 WRG) is a unique public, private, civil society partnership. It is hosted by the World Bank Group. With more than 1,000 partners around the world, our platforms help to drive systemic change and advance transformative leadership of institutions.

The UN Water Development Report : 

Terms used	Definition
Water scarcity	Lack of sufficient available water resources to meet water usage demands within a region
Water stress	The difficulty of obtaining fresh water sources during a period of time may lead to further depletion and deterioration of available water
Water shortage/deficits	Shortages of water caused by climate change, pollution, increased human demand, and overuse of water
Water crisis	A situation where the available potable, unpolluted water within a region is less than that region’s demand

 

Who publishes the report? The UN World Water Development Report (WWDR) is a UN ‘s water’s flagship report on water and sanitation issues, focusing On different theme each year. The report is published by UNESCO on behalf of UN Water and its production is coordinated by the UNESCO World Water Assessment program. 

The theme for 2023 is “Partnership and cooperation for water”.

Key Findings of the report: 

The urban population facing water scarcity in the world is expected to double from 930 million in 2016 to between 1.7 and 2.4 billion people, in 2050. 

Global: Globally, two billion people do not have safe drinking water and 3.6 billion lack access to safely managed sanitation The global urban population facing water scarcity is projected to increase from one-third (2016) to nearly half of the global urban population in 2050, with India projected to be the most severely affected.

India: 80% of people living under water stress lived in Asia; in particular, northeast China, as well as India and Pakistan.

Vulnerable areas: As a result of excessive demand, seasonal water scarcity will increase in areas where it is currently abundant and worsen in areas where water is already in shortage.

Impact:  The rising cases of extreme and prolonged droughts are also stressing ecosystems, with dire consequences for both animal and plant species. 

World Water Day : WWD is an annual UN Observance Day which highlights the importance of freshwater. The day is used to promote awareness related to water conservation and advocate sustainable management of the freshwater resources.

UN WATER is the conveyer for world water day and selects the theme for each year in consultation with UN organisations that share an interest in that year’s focus. 

The day was first formally proposed in Agenda 21 of the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro .UNGA adopted the resolution regarding this in Dec 1992.

The first WWD was observed on 22 nd March 1993.

WORLD WATER DAY,2023 : The theme for the year 2023, is ”Be The Change” and it highlights the importance of conserving water and its value.

Water Convention : Water Convention (Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes 1992)

An international legal instrument and intergovernmental platform. Adopted in Helsinki in 1992 and entered into force in 1996. Initially negotiated as a regional instrument, opened globally for accession to all UN Member States in 2016. 

Aim: 

• To ensure the sustainable use of transboundary water resources.
• Requires Parties to use transboundary waters in a reasonable and equitable way and ensure their sustainable management. 
• Parties bordering the same transboundary waters must cooperate by entering into specific agreements and establishing joint bodies. 
• Powerful tool to achieve the objectives of SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) and its target 6.5 – all States to implement integrated water resources management at all levels by 2030, including through transboundary cooperation.

World Water Forum :  In 2022, Water Convention organised the first ever transboundary pavilion at the ninth World Water Forum in Dakar, Senegal.  World’s largest event on water, organised every three years since 1997 by the World Water Council (a think tank), in partnership with a host country. Provides a unique platform where the international water community and key decision makers can collaborate on global water challenges.

Unconventional Water Resources : Commonly include waters of inferior or marginal quality like- saline water, brackish water, agricultural drainage water, treated or untreated wastewater effluents etc. Use of this water requires adoption of more complex management practices and stringent monitoring procedures.

The book identified 6 broad categories of UWRs:

• Harvesting water from air and ground by cloud seeding or rain enhancement, fog harvesting. Fog harvesting & micro catchment rainwater harvesting marked as low cost & low impact method.
• Desalination – removing salts and other minerals from wastewater effluents to obtain fresh water for human consumption.
• Tapping fresh & brackish groundwater offshore and onshore.
• Reusing used water i.e. municipal waste water and agricultural drainage water.
• Moving water physically to water scarce areas in ship ballast holds or toward icebergs.
• Micro scale capture of rainwater that would otherwise evaporate.

Related news : Grey Water  100% Saturation of Grey Water Management has been achieved in Pallankuzhi Village, Tamil Nadu.  Grey water : Wastewater from baths, showers, hand basins, washing machines, dishwashers and kitchen sinks, excludes streams from toilets.  Significance of grey water recycling:  Prevent potential harm to the environment and reduce the demand for freshwater.  Reliable water resource unlike rainwater harvesting.  Good fertiliser source due to high nitrogen and phosphorus content.

 

Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) by NITI AAYOG : 

India is experiencing a very significant water challenge, approximately 820 million people of India – living in twelve river basins across the country have per capita water availability close to or lower than 1000m3 – the official threshold for water scarcity as per the Falkenmark Index.

CWMI Published by NITI AAYOG. The CWMI is a first of its kind , comprehensive score card for identifying, targeting and solving problems in the water sector across the country. It was first published in 2018.

It is expected to:

• Promote data based decision making and thus scientific management of water.
• Encourage competitive and cooperative federalism. 
• Establish a clear baseline and benchmark for state level performance on key water indicators 
• Uncover and explain how states have progressed on water issues over time , including identifying high performers and under performers , thereby inculcating a culture of constructive competition among states.
• Identify areas of deeper engagement and investment on the part of the states.

Eventually, the NITI AAYOG plans to develop the index into a composite national level data management platform for all water resources in India.

The indicators in the water index have been grouped into nine major broad themes:

• Source Augmentation and Restoration of water bodies.
• Source Augmentation. (ground water)
• Major and medium irrigation (supply side management)
• Watershed development-supply side management. 
• Participatory irrigation practices-Demand side management.
• Sustainable on farm water use practices-demand side management. 
• Rural drinking . 
• Urban water supply and sanitation.
• Policy and governance.  

Ranking of different states in CWMI : CWMI 2.0 ranks various states for the reference year 2017-18 as against the base year 2016-17.

• Gujarat (continues to hold on to its rank one in the reference year (2017-18), followed by Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
• In North-Eastern and the Himalayan States, Himachal Pradesh has been awarded rank 1 in 2017-18 followed by Uttarakhand, Tripura and Assam.
• For the first time, Union Territories have submitted their data and Puducherry has been declared the top performer.
• 80% of the states have shown improvement in their water management scores over the last three years.

 

Note: Falkenmark Indicator or Water Stress Index :  It is one of the most commonly used measures of water scarcity.

It defines water scarcity in terms of the total water resources that are available to the population of a region; measuring scarcity as the amount of renewable freshwater that is available for each person each year.

If the amount of renewable water per person per year in a country is : 

• Below 1,700 m3, the country is said to be experiencing water stress.
• Below 1,000 m3, it is said to be experiencing water scarcity.
• Below 500 m3, it is experiencing absolute water scarcity.

Water related Schemes / Programmes/Initiatives:

• Ministry of Jal Shakti : 

A unified Ministry of Jal Shakti was launched in May 2019 for immediate response to the escalating water crisis in the country. The ministry was formed by merging of two ministries: Ministry of water resources,river development & Ganga rejuvenation,Ministry of Drinking water and Sanitation.

Functions of the new ministry range from providing clean drinking water , international and inter state water disputes , cleaning Ganga river , its tributaries and sub tributaries.

Why this move? All water related initiatives are complementary to each other and therefore it’s better to have one ministry for better coordination and integrated data management system.

• Jal Shakti Abhiyan : 

It is Jal Shakthi Ministry’s flagship water conservation campaign.

Need of the program:

• In 1952 , per capita water availability in India :5000 cu/m per year.
• In 2001 ->1545 cu/m per year.  

Jal Shakti Abhiyan 1.0 : Campaign was first launched in 2019 which was focused on water stressed districts and blocks (256 districts and 1592 blocks) . It was run through citizen participation during the Monsoon season.

1. 1st phase (1stJuly 2019-15 sept 2019)
2. 2nd phase (1 st oct 2019-30 th nov 2019) for states receiving the north east retreating monsoon.

It was aimed at making water conservation a Jan Angolan through asset creation and extensive communication.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan  2.0  : Catch the Rain campaign was launched in March 2021. It is a nudge to states and stakeholders to create appropriate rainwater harvesting structures suitable for climatic conditions and subsoil strata before monsoon.

Steps being undertaken under the Campaign :

• Check dams, water harvesting pits, rooftop RWHS etc removal of encroachment and de silting of tanks to increase the storage capacity, removal of obstructions in the channels which bring water to them from the catchment areas, repairs to step wells and using defunct borewells and unused wells to put after back to aquifers etc. are being undertaken with active participation of people.
• To facilitate these activities, states have been requested to open “Rain centres” in each district- in collectorate’s /municipalities or GP offices.
• During the campaign period , these rain centres will have dedicated phone numbers, and would be manned by engineers or a person well trained in RWHS.
• This Center acts as a technical guidance Center to all in the district regarding rain water harvesting.

Under the campaign, all water bodies in the district are to be enumerated, (checked with revenue records) and encroachments must be removed.

3. Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) ( Water for Life ) (Har Ghar De Jal ) :

Need : Water inequality is a major concern in India. 81% of households in India are without tap connection. (14.6 cr/17.87 cr) Safe drinking water together with a comprehensive sanitation program is important for reducing the disease burden of the poor.

Details: JJM restructures and subsumes the national rural drinking water program (running since 2009). The scheme is also known as Har Ghar Nal Se Jal. 

The broader objectives of JJM are :

• To provide functional household tap connections (FHTC) to every rural household by 2024 with a service level of 55 litres per capita per day. 
• To prioritise provision of FHTCs in quality affected areas,desert areas, drought prone areas and Sansad Adharsh Gram Yojana villages.
• To provide functional tap connections to schools, Anganwadi centres, GP buildings , Health centres , wellness centres and community buildings.
• To monitor functionality of tap connections.
• To promote and ensure voluntary ownership among local community by way of contribution in cash , kind and / or labour and voluntary labour(Shramdaan)
• To assist in ensuring sustainability of the water supply system i.e water source , water supply infrastructure, and funds for regular O&M.
• To empower and develop Human Resource in the sector such that the demands of construction, plumbing , electrical, water quality management, water treatment, catchment protection , o&m etc., are taken care of in the short and long term.
• To bring awareness on various aspects and significance of safe drinking water and involvement of stakeholders in a manner that makes water everyone’s business.

A dedicated fund called Rashtriya Jal Jeevan Kosh has been set up by the ministry of Jal Shakthi to mobilise and accept contributions received from other sources such as corporate social responsibility to fund JJM.

Cost : The total project is estimated to cost Rs.3.60 lakh crore.

Centre : State 50:50 (90:10 for NE and Himalayan states and 100% for UTs)

Implementation : JJM is implemented by the department of drinking water and sanitation under the recently formed MJS.

River Issues

 NAMAMI GANGE 

About : Rapid urbanisation, increased population pressure and unplanned industrialisation have raised the amount of pollutants getting into the Ganga river to an unprecedented level.

There have been several initiatives to clean Ganga. National Ganga Action Plan 1 was started in 1986 , NGA -2 in 1993. Till 2014, more than 4000 crores had been spent. But the river had remained dirty. So,when the government launched the Namami Gange in mid May 2015, there was a new hope.

Features of Namami Gange : It is the biggest ever initiative to clean Ganga with a Rs 20,000 crore centrally funded, non lapsable corpus.

Main pillars of Namami Gange Scheme :

• Improved governance structure under Namami Gange
• It is being implemented through the National mission for clean Ganga and its state counterparts -state program management groups. Both NMCG and SPMG will establish field offices wherever required.

For Monitoring :

• High level task force chaired by Cabinet Secretary and assisted by NMCG
• State level committee chaired by Chief Secretary and assisted by SPMG.
• District level committee chaired by the District Magistrate.

To make the program more effective National Ganga Council was created to replace National Ganga River Basin Authority.  NGC is headed by PM and has chief ministers of five Ganga basin states Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh , Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, besides several union ministers. It is supposed to meet once every year. 

An empowered task force,.headed by the union water resources minister was created and it has on board the chief secretary of the five Ganga basin states. It is supposed to meet every three months.

A State Ganga committee has been formed. These committees would be the nodal agency to implement the program in states. Further, they would also conduct safety audits of the river and river remedial measures.

Synergy between different ministries : The water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation ministry signed an MOU with 10 other ministries to synergize the activities under the Namami Ganga. They focus on involvement of more stakeholders including states, ULBs and PRIs, people and the private sector.  (through PPP Projects)

4 battalions of Ganga Eco Task force have also been envisaged to spread awareness and for protecting the river. First company of Ganga Task force Battalion to track implementation of Namami Ganga program deployed. It was deployed at Garhmukteshwar town in Hapur district of UP.

Other steps under the Namami Gange program : 

• • Hariyali is a plantation project along the stretch of Ganga in all five states through which it flows.

• Ganga gram Yojana : To develop STP,toilets etc. in Lo villages along the river Ganga. Based on Seechewal model (a Punjab village) which is based on cooperation of villagers for water management and waste disposal. Government will spend Rs 1 crore per village in this plan.

• Smart Ganga cities : Program for infrastructure development along cities on Ganga river. Promotion of organic farming in villages along the Ganga.

NATIONAL MISSION FOR CLEAN GANGA 

It was registered as a society in Aug 2011 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. It acted as the implementing arm of National Ganga river basin authority which was constituted under the provisions of environment protection act 1986.

NGRBA has since dissolved in Oct 2016 and a National council for Rejuvenation and management of River Ganga (referred as National Ganga council) has been set up. The environment protection act, 1986 presently envisages five tier structure at national,state,and district levels to take measures for prevention, control and abatement of environmental pollution in river Ganga and to ensure continuous adequate flow of water so as to rejuvenate the river Ganga. 

CAPACITY BUILDING INITIATIVE ON ‘MAKING WATER SENSITIVE CITIES IN GANGA BASIN’

It has been launched by National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) in association with the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). 

About the initiative :  A water sensitive city is based on the idea of holistic management of the water cycle to deliver basic services of supply and sanitation, while mitigating flood risk and protecting and enhancing the health of receiving waterways. It forms part of the ongoing efforts by NMCG aimed to ensure convergence of the Namami Gange Mission with national flagship urban missions (AMRUT, Smart Cities etc.)

Related News:  Capacity Building on Integrated River Basin Management with a focus on Geospatial Technology in Riverine Ecosystem.  Geospatial technology : It allows tracking a questioned object and referring it to a specific location. It helps in studying real earth geographic information using Geographical Information System (GIS), Remote Sensing, Artificial intelligence, Internet of things (IoT) etc. National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) signed a MoU with South Asian Institute for Advanced Research and Development (SAIARD) to strengthen river basin management by using geospatial technology.  Application of geospatial technology in India’s water sector: Indian Remote Sensing Portals for the Water Sector Bhuvan–WBIS (Water Bodies Info System): Sensor derived water bodies information is utilised to generate spatial map of surface water bodies. National Information System for Climate and Environment Studies (NICES) provides national level accurate and long- term climate database generation. India – WRIS (Water Resources Info System) : Contains information related to Water Resources through dashboards as well as modules on water resources projects and tools for GIS layer editing.  Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project : Remote Sensing and GIS for dam site selection and monitoring progress. o National River Linking Project (NRLP) – Understand the characteristic of rivers during monsoon and non monsoon season Continuous Learning and Activity Portal (CLAP)  CLAP was launched on the inaugural day of ‘Ganga Utsav – the River Festival 2021’. CLAP is an interactive portal that is working towards initiating conversations and action around the rivers in India. It is an initiative by Namami Gange, created and executed by TREE Craze Foundation and funded and supported by the World Bank. Portal is also a platform to facilitate debates and discussions and express ideas on various issues pertaining to environment, water, rivers etc.  Also, National Mission for Clean Ganga got registered in the Guinness Book of World Records for most photos of handwritten notes uploaded to Facebook in one hour.

NATIONAL GANGA COUNCIL

National Ganga council chaired by the Prime Minister is an authority created in oct 2016 under the river Ganga (rejuvenation,protection and management) authorities order 2016 dissolving the National Ganga river basin authority. It has been given the overall responsibility for the superintendency of pollution prevention and rejuvenation of river Ganga basin , including Ganga and its tributaries.

Composition : 

• The Prime Minister is the ex officio chairperson. 
• Union minister of Jal Shakthi is the ex officio vice chairperson.
• The other ex officio members of the council are from various ministries and CMs of the corresponding states among other stakeholders. 

 

Jurisdiction : The jurisdiction of NCG extends to states through which Ganga, its tributaries and sub tributaries flow – Himachal, Uttarakhand, UttarPradesh, Haryana, NCR of Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal etc.

ARTH GANGA:

A concept espoused by the Prime Minister during the National Ganga Council meeting in Kanpur in 2019. Focuses on creating economic livelihood opportunities to sustain the activities under Namami Gange Programme, the flagship program of the Government to clean Ganga and its tributaries. 

Aim: To contribute about 3% to the GDP from Ganga Basin. It is expected to generate economic benefits of more than Rs 1000 crores over the next 5 years.

Ecological Flow ( e flow ) in Ganga river What is the ecological flow (e flow) of a river? Ecological flow (e flow) is the acceptable flow regimes that are required to maintain a river in the desired state. It is the Quantity and timing of water essential for the river to fulfil its ecological, social and economic functions. The e flow notification specifies that the upper stretches of the Ganga from its origin in the glaciers and until Haridwar would have to be maintained. All large project’s existing under construction and in the future will have to follow norms.  The concerned project developers or authorities will have to install automatic data acquisition and data transmission facilities at appropriate locations at project sites within six months.  Mini and Micro projects that don’t alter the flow characteristics of the river or stream significantly are exempted from the norms. Central and concerned state authorities will implement the demand side management to reduce the extraction of water from Ganga. Monitoring of the flow conditions of these rivers will be done at hourly intervals from time to time. The central water commission will be the designated authority and custodian of data.it will be responsible for supervision, monitoring,regulating of flows. The CWC will also take emergent decisions about the water storage norms in case of any emergency. The central government through NMCG may direct release of additional water in the river Ganga to meet special demand as and when required.

Ground water related issues:

UNITED NATIONS (UN) WATER SUMMIT ON GROUNDWATER (GW) 2022:

Organised by: 

UN-Water, UNESCO and International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre (IGRAC)

 Aim: 

• To bring attention to groundwater at the highest international level. 
• Will mark the completion of “Groundwater: Making the invisible visible” campaign run by UN-Water throughout 2022.
• Uses UN World Water Development Report 2022 as a baseline and SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework (GAF) to define actions towards more responsible and sustainable use and protection of this vital natural resource. 
• In 2020, five pillars of SDG 6 GAF were released namely data and information, capacity development, innovation, finance and governance. 

Ground Water :  Water stored in rocks and soil, 99% of liquid freshwater on Earth.

Related information: UN-Water: A UN inter-agency coordination mechanism for all freshwater and sanitation related matters.  IGRAC:  A UNESCO Centre that works under World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), and is financially supported by the Netherlands. Specializes in regional- and transboundary-level assessment and monitoring of GW resources.  One of IGRAC’s flagship products is Global Groundwater Information System (GGIS).

 

Ground water extraction – Present Situation

• Annual extra table groundwater availability in India (2022) is 398 BCM
• India is the largest user of groundwater in the world,extracting 253 BCM per year , which is 25% of the global groundwater extraction.
• Most of the groundwater extracted in India is for irrigation (228 Billion cubic metre (BCM)) which accounts for 90% of the total extraction. The remaining 10% (225 BCM) is for drinking, domestic as well as industrial uses.
• Industrial use accounts for only 5% of the total extraction.

In order to understand the current state of underground water resources, a comparison has been made between the latest assessment (2022) with the assessment carried out in 2017.

The average ‘Stage of Ground Water Extraction (i.e. gross groundwater extraction for all uses on an average to available groundwater resource)’ for the country as a whole works out to 60.08% in 2022 assessment as compared with 2017 assessment (63.33%), indicating overall improvement (groundwater recovery) in the ground water regime. Further, the ‘Stage of Groundwater Extraction’ in the States of Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan is more than 100%.

Further, the comparison reveals that the over-exploited (‘stage of groundwater extraction’ is more than 100 %) assessment units (blocks/mandals/firkas /district/valley etc) in 2017 were 1186 (17.23%) out of 6881 assessment units whereas in 2022, there were 1006 (14.19%) over exploited units out of 7089 assessment units indicating an improved trend (groundwater recovery) in groundwater scenario. Further, the percentage of Over-exploited assessment units (in terms of total assessment units) have increased in the States of Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan in the 2022 assessment when compared with 2017 assessment. 

Institutional Framework : 

Central Ground Water Authority, ministry of Jal Shakthi has the mandate of regulating groundwater development and management in the country.  It has been doing it through measures such as issuing advisories, notice grants on NOC for ground water withdrawal etc.

It has been constituted under section 3(3) of the Environment Protection Act 1986 to regulate and control development and management of groundwater resources in the country. Central ground water board monitors water levels and quality through a network of 23916 “National Hydrograph Monitoring Stations “ -6503 dug  wells and 16693 piezometers.

 

Note: Piezometer is a device placed in a bare hole to monitor the pressure of groundwater.

 

Atal Bhujbal Yojana : Scheme for improvement of Ground Water

Atal bhujal yojana is a world bank funded , central scheme aimed at improving ground water management. The scheme has two components:

• Institutional strengthening and capacity building component, aimed at strengthening the groundwater governance mechanism in the participating states.
• Incentive component aimed at incentivising the states for various measures for ensuring the long term sustainability of groundwater resources.

Other key features : The scheme envisages active community participation, including women,in various activities such as:

• Formation of water use association
• Monitoring and disseminating ground water data
• Water budgeting 
• Preparation and implementation of gram panchayat wise water security plans and IEC activities related to sustainable ground water management 
• Better performing districts and panchayats will receive more funds.

States covered : Initially , it will be implemented in 7 states – Haryana, Rajasthan , Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh over five years (2020-21 to 2024 -25) It is expected to benefit about 8350 gram panchayats in 78 districts . 

Future extension : If the scheme meets its objectives in water stressed areas , it will be extended to other parts of the country.

Expense and source of funding :  The program is going to cost Rs 6000 crore. Of this Rs 3000 crore will be contributed by the world bank as loan while the other half will be provided by the central government in the form of central assistance. 

All of this money will be given to states as a grant. Since water is a state subject , it is the prerogative of the State Government, to frame various acts for sustainable management of water for any purpose.

Need of the programme – Scarcity of water : India has 17% of the world’s population but only 4% of the global water resources. Further with the population rise , this ratio is going to worsen. According to central water commission, per capita availability of ground water in the country will decrease from 1434 m^3 in 2026 to 1219 m^3 in 2050

New Guidelines for Ground Water Extraction: 

The guidelines have been notified by the CGWA , Ministry of Jal Shakthi. It seeks to plug a regulatory vacuum in granting NOC for ground water use as the earlier rules were struck by NGT.

Key features :

• Minimum Environmental compensation of Rs 1 lakh on industrial , mining and infrastructure users extracting ground water without a NOC. This can rise depending on quantum of water extracted 
• Project  within 500 m of designated wetlands shall also submit a detailed proposal explaining how groundwater extraction will not affect the wetland.
• All users who need to get NOC must also install a digital water flow meter.
• The notification exempts domestic consumers , rural drinking water schemes , armed forces, farmers and micro and small enterprises drawing water upto a limit, from the requirement of a NOC from CGWA.
• The guidelines advise state/ UTs to review their  electricity subsidy for farmers to ensure sustainable and efficient extraction of ground water.
• District authorities can take enforcement measures like sealing of abstraction structures and prosecuting those violating NOC conditions.
• In case of failure by district authorities, they may face a fine between Rs 50000 to Rs 10 lakh.

URANIUM CONTAMINATION IN INDIA’s GROUNDWATER

How much Uranium in water is acceptable? WHO has set a provisional safe drinking water standard of 30 micrograms of Uranium per litre for India. This standard is also consistent with the US Environmental Protection Agency Standards.

In India,the Indian Standard IS 10500:2012 for Drinking water specification has specified the maximum acceptable limits for radioactive residues as alpha and beta emitters , values in excess of which render the water not suitable. But, individual radioactive elements have not been specifically identified. As per information provided by Bureau of Indian Standard , they are working to incorporate the maximum permissible limit of Uranium as 30 micrograms / litre.

Situation in India : According to a study published in Environmental science and Technology there is high uranium contamination in ground water of 16 Indian states. WHO has also said that there is prevalence of concentration above 30 mg/lot of Uranium in some localised pockets of few states /UT s in the country.

Why the contamination? : Groundwater depletion and Nitrate pollution may be aggravating the already present natural uranium contamination to dangerous levels.

Process: Many of India’s aquifers are composed of clay,silt and gravel carried down from Himalayan weathering by streams or uranium rich granitic rocks .  When over pumping of these aquifers groundwater occurs and their water levels decline , it induces oxidation conditions that, in turn , enhance uranium enrichment in the shallow groundwater that remains. Uranium contamination of drinking water may be responsible for chronic kidney diseases . Radioactivity is not an issue here, but the toxicity is.

HEAVY METAL POLLUTION:

Heavy metals and their health impacts :

• Heavy metals are metals with relatively high densities, atomic weight and atomic numbers.
• Some heavy metals are either essential nutrients (iron ,cobalt, Zinc etc) or relatively harmless (such as ruthenium,silver,india etc) but can be toxic in large amounts.
• Other heavy metals like(lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium, arsenic ) are highly poisonous.
• Lead is the most common cause of heavy metals poisoning. Leaded petrol emissions is the most important source .Though India phased out leaded petrol in 2000 , countries around India like  Afghanistan, Iran , Myanmar etc still use it.
• Lead poisoning may lead to damage to the brain , nervous system, kidney etc. It may also interfere with the development of RBCs 
• Cadmium – industrial waste , batteries etc are the most important source of cadmium poisoning. It negatively hampers the heart conditions. It may also cause cancer and organ system toxicity such as skeletal,urinary,reproductive,cardiovascular etc.
• Long term exposure to heavy metals may result in  slowly progressing physical , muscular, and neurological degenerative processes.
• Once dispersed in the biosphere, these metals cannot be recovered or degraded . Hence , environmental effects of metal pollution tend to be  permanent.

Heavy metal in Indian rivers: Central water commission’s study between may 2014 – April 2018:

• 65% of the samples were polluted with heavy metals. Iron has emerged as the most common contaminant with 156/442 sampled sites registering levels of the metal above safe limits.The other major contaminants found in the samples were lead, nickel,chromium,cadmium and copper. Arsenic was not found above safe level at any of the sites.
• The main sources of heavy metal pollution are mining, milling ,plating and surface finishing industries that discharge a variety of toxic metals into the environment. Over the last few years , the concentration of these heavy metals have increased rapidly due to population growth and rise of agricultural and industrial activities.
• Around 41% of Delhi -NCR population are found to be suffering from severe heavy metals toxicity: study in 2019 Study by AIIMS Clinical Ecotoxicology facility set up to study effects of pollution and climate change finds iron,mercury,lead in excess amounts in patient bodies. A study conducted by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has found dangerous levels of metals in vegetables grown in fields along the Yamuna river. Urban beaches have emerged as a potential heavy metal pollution point for citizens.

Mercury Pollution:

Mercury occurs naturally in the earth’s crust , but human activities such as mining and fossil fuel combustion , have led to widespread global mercury pollution. Mercury emitted into the air eventually settles into water or onto land where it can be washed into water. Once deposited , certain microorganisms can change it into methylmercury , a highly toxic form that builds up in fish , shellfish and animals that eat fish.

Prescribed standards by Indian government and WHO:

• Drinking water:0.001 mg/l
• Industrial waste:0.01 mg/l

Sources of mercury pollution : An element in the earth’s crust Other Natural source includes volcanic eruptions and emissions from the ocean. 

Anthropogenic sources include: Coal burning power plants are the largest human caused source of mercury Use of mercury to separate gold from ore bearing rock (another major source of mercury pollution)

Other sources of mercury pollution include Burning hazardous waste, Producing chlorine, Breaking mercury products and spilling mercury, Improper treatment and disposal of or wastes containing mercury(Kodaikanal mercury poisoning by Hindustan lever)

Exposure: Most human exposure to mercury is from eating fish and shell fish contaminated with the methylmercury. Breathing mercury vapour: when products that contain elements of mercury break and release mercury to the air, particularly in warm poorly ventilated indoor spaces.

Harmful effects : 

• Mercury is poisonous in all forms-inorganic,organic or elemental.
• Methyl mercury is neurotoxin- impacts the function and development of the central nervous system, in both people and wildlife. Causes dangerous neurological disease.
• Particularly harmful in the early stages of development 
• Dangerous for pregnant women and children
• Fish have difficulty schooling and it decreases spawning success 
• Birds lay fewer eggs and face trouble in caring for the chicks.
• Mammals have impaired motor skills that affect their ability to hunt and find food.
• Can adversely affect the immune system.

Airborne mercury: Until recently species that do not eat fish were thought to be safe from the harmful effects of mercury. However recently researchers have documented mercury in Bicknell’s thrushes, terrestrial birds that inhabit mountain top in northeast Illinois , where habitat lies downwind of the coal burning epicentre of the Ohio.

Mercury pollution in India:

Mercury contamination in india is reaching alarming levels largely due to the discharge of mercury bearing industrial effluents ranging from 0.058 to 0.268 mg/litre

Centre for science and environment have compiled data from various sources to identify critically polluted mercury regions in India.

High levels of mercury in fish stocks have been found, mainly in coastal areas.

Mumbai,Kolkata ,Karwar, and north Koel ( in Bihar) are some of the severely affected areas.

Koel river showed mercury concentration almost 600 – 700 times above the limits.

Mercury in ground water and surface water was detected throughout the country.

Further, near industrial units such as Chloe alkali, cement, chemical paints and thermal power plants , levels higher than the permissible limits were found.

Minamata convention on Mercury : It is an international treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and release of mercury and mercury compounds. Convention was ratified by delegates from 140 countries in January 2013

Why is a global response needed? Mercury pollution is a global problem that requires global action because it moves with air and water , transcends political boundaries and can be transported thousands of miles in the atmosphere.

PER AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES (PFAS):

Chemicals with partially or completely fluorinated carbon chains of varied lengths. Referred to as “forever chemicals” as they do not degrade easily in the environment due to strong carbon-fluorine bonds. PFAS like perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) listed under Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (their production and use are restricted or eliminated in the Parties.) 

Concerns associated with use of PFAS:

• Found in the blood of people and animals. 
• High exposure is associated with health risks like decreased fertility, developmental effects in children, interference with body hormones, increased cholesterol levels, liver damage, kidney and testicular cancer etc. 
• Difficult to capture and destroy.

Measures to reduce PFAS contamination: 

• Safe disposal of PFAS using methods like filtration through activated carbon tanks, incineration etc. ; 
• Phasing out PFASs listed under the Stockholm Convention and replace them with safer alternatives ; 
• Avoid PFAS-based non-stick pans and kitchen utensils; etc.

 

Water Conservation Initiatives 

River Cities Alliance (RCA) : RCA is a dedicated platform for river cities to ideate, discuss and exchange information for sustainable management of urban rivers. It will focus on three broad themes- Networking, Capacity Building and Technical Support. RCA includes cities from both Ganga basin and non-Ganga basin states.  RCA gives opportunities to these cities to strengthen governance aspects for river cities and improves their liveability to attract external economic investments. 

Puducherry becomes ‘HarGharJal’ Union Territory (UT) : Puducherry has achieved the target of 100% piped water connection in rural areas under the JalJeevan Mission.

• With this, the UT became the fourth State/UT after Goa, Telangana and Andaman and Nicobar Islands to provide assured tap water supply to every rural home. 
• Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) envisages supply of 55 litres of water per person per day to every rural household through Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) by 2024.
• FHTC is defined as having infrastructure, i.e. household tap connection providing at least 55 lpcd (litre per capita per day), of prescribed quality, i.e. BIS : 10500 standard, on a regular basis. o It also aims to provide functional tap connection to Schools, Anganwadi centres, Health centres, wellness centres, etc. o Fund sharing pattern: 90:10 for Himalayan and North-Eastern States; 50:50 for other States and 100% for UTs.

 

Swachh Sujal Pradesh: Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) Islands have become India’s first Swachh Sujal Pradesh. All villages on A&N Islands have received Har Ghar Jal certification.

Swachh Sujal Pradesh certification: Provided by Ministry of Jal Shakti, 3 important components: 

• Safe and secure drinking water supply and management. 
• ODF (open defecation free) Plus: ODF Sustainability and Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM), and 
• Cross-cutting interventions like convergence, IEC (Information, Education Communication), action planning, etc. 

Pey Jal Survekshan (PJS): The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs conducted a ground survey of PJS under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0. It serves as a monitoring tool and an accelerator for AMRUT Mission.

Aim:

• To instil healthy competition motivation among cities and Urban Local Bodies.
• Key focus areas: Water utility services, used water utility services, water bodies, NonRevenue Water (NRW) estimation, best practices and innovation.
• Based on Self- assessment of service level, Direct Observation and Citizen’s Feedback.
• Third-party agency- IPSOS (a private firm) will conduct Survekshan.

Saryu Canal National Project : Prime Minister inaugurated the Saryu (tributary of Ghagra) Canal National Project which will provide assured water for irrigation to over 14 lakh hectares of land and benefit about 29 lakh farmers. 

The work on the project started in 1978 and in 2016, the project was brought under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana with the target of completing it in a time bound manner.  The project also involves interlinking of five rivers (Ghaghara, Saryu, Rapti, Banganga and Rohini) to ensure optimum usage of water resources.

Bharat Tap : The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has launched the Bharat Tap initiative. Conducted under the aegis of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Transformation 2.0 (AMRUT) and Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 (SBM). 

Aim: To provide low-flow, sanitary-ware at scale, and thereby reduce water consumption at source considerably.  Estimated to save minimum 40% water, in turn resulting in energy saving.

Nirmal Jal Prayas : MoHUA launched ‘Nirmal Jal Prayas’, initiative of National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) Mahi. 

Aim: 

• To map groundwater and save 500 crore litres of water per annum. 
• Through the initiative, advocacy, awareness and amplification towards saving water will be disseminated and highlighted.

NAREDCO : An autonomous self-regulatory body, established in 1998, under the aegis of MoHUA. o It strives to be the collective force influencing and shaping the real estate industry. NAREDCO had established Mahi – NAREDCO Women’s Wing for empowering women entrepreneurs and encouraging participation of women in the real estate sector and allied fields.

AIM-ICDK Water Innovation Challenge:  Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog in partnership with Innovation Center Denmark (ICDK) concluded the global finals of the Next Generation Water Action (NGWA) Water Innovation Challenge. 

Innovative ideas were invited in following challenge areas: 

• Digital water management solutions, 
• Solutions for monitoring and prevention of leakage in city water supply,
• Waste water management across rural belts and urban settlements, Rainwater harvesting in rural and urban settlements, and 
• Safe and sustained drinking water.

SWASTIK technology for disinfecting water : SWASTIIK (Safe Water and Sustainable Technology Initiative from Indian Knowledgebase) is a hybrid technology that combines Modern technology and Indian traditional knowledge to bring safe & healthy drinking water. The technique used —hydrodynamic cavitation combines chemistry, biology, and chemical engineering along with natural resources in the form of natural oils and plant extracts. Disinfection of water is essential for removing pathogenic microorganisms that are responsible for causing a number of water-borne diseases.

However, the common drawbacks of chemical methods such as chlorination include formation of harmful/ carcinogenic disinfection by-products

Recirculatory Aquaculture System (RAS) : RAS is a technology where water is recycled and reused after mechanical and biological filtration and removal of suspended matter and metabolites. It is used for high- density culture of various species of fish, utilising minimum land area and water.  Instead of the traditional method of growing fish outdoors in open ponds and raceways, in this system fish are typically reared in indoor/outdoor tanks in a controlled environment.

Advantages : Reduced dependency on antibiotics, Reduction of direct operational costs, Risk reduction due to climatic factors, disease and parasite etc.

India Young Water Professional :This program has been taken up under the National Hydrology Project, a Central Scheme and supported by the Australian Water Partnership.  It will be implemented by the Australia India Water Centre (a consortium of Australian and Indian universities). 

Objective of the programme: To equip water professionals with the necessary skills, knowledge, behaviours, and networks that will better enable them to contribute to the development and management of water resources in India.

National Water Awards (NWA) : Introduced to recognize and encourage exemplary work and efforts made by States, Districts, individuals, etc. in accomplishing the government’s vision ‘Jal Samridh Bharat’.

Aim: 

• To sensitise the public about the importance of water and motivates them to adopt best water usage practices. 
• Award winners in different categories will be presented with a citation, trophy, and cash prize.

JALDOOT App : Developed by: Ministry of Rural Development. Aim: 

• To identify the ground water level in selected villages. 
• Gram Rojgar Sahayak (GRS) will measure the water level of selected wells twice a year (pre-monsoon and post-monsoon). 
• Data collected could be utilised as part of the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) and Mahatma Gandhi NREGA planning exercises.

United Nations Global Compact’s CEO Water Mandate: The Mandate was formed in 2007 to mobilise business leaders to advance water stewardship, sanitation, and the Sustainable Development Goals in partnership with United Nations, governments, peers, civil society, and others.

The Mandate develops tools and resources, convenes stakeholders, and facilitates meaningful partnerships and on-the-ground collective actions that improve conditions in at-risk river basins around the world.

WMO Vision and Strategy for Hydrology and Action Plan: It identifies target outcomes to WMO’s eight long-term ambitions including Better understanding of flood risk, flood forecasting and warning, reducing adverse impacts of drought, and use of high-quality hydrological and hydrometeorological data etc.