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Annual Groundwater Quality Report 2024
Context:
The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has raised alarms in its Annual Groundwater Quality Report 2024, revealing a troubling picture of contamination that threatens the health and sustainability of urban water resources across India.
Groundwater Contamination in India
- 20% of groundwater samples in India have nitrate levels exceeding the safe limit of 45mg/l, with some areas reporting over 40%.
- States affected by high nitrate contamination include Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu, primarily due to excessive fertiliser use and poor waste management.
- Fluoride contamination exceeded permissible limits in over 9% of groundwater samples.
- Arsenic contamination remains severe in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and other states.
Significance of Groundwater Resources
- Groundwater sustains nearly half of the world’s urban population and is a key source of urban water supply.
- Aquifers store larger water volumes compared to artificial reservoirs, e.g., the Ogallala Aquifer in the US has supplied 500 cubic kilometres of water over four decades.
- Groundwater offers better quality and reliability than surface water, particularly during droughts.
Overexploitation and Declining Availability
- Groundwater overexploitation: Out of 712 surveyed districts, 102 are overexploited, and 32 face zero net groundwater availability.
- Urban groundwater depletion: Cities in Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, and Karnataka are nearing zero groundwater tables.
- Sewage treatment lag: In 2021, urban India generated 72,368 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage, but only 31,841 MLD of treatment capacity was installed, leading to untreated sewage polluting rivers, lakes, and groundwater.
Challenges
- Urbanisation: Urban population is expected to reach 600 million by 2036, with urban areas contributing 70% of GDP.
- Wastewater Management: Inadequate sewage treatment infrastructure is exacerbated by increasing urban wastewater
- Climate change exacerbates the problem by altering precipitation patterns and hindering natural recharge.
Solutions for Groundwater Management and Contamination
- Circular water economy: Need for a transformative approach to urban water management, leveraging advanced technology, sustainability, and holistic planning.
- Decentralised wastewater treatment systems at community or building levels can complement centralised plants, processing waste closer to the source and recovering valuable resources.
- Smart water networks using IoT and AI can track water quality, forecast contamination trends, and improve water distribution and treatment efficiency.
- Climate-Resilient Management: Implement artificial aquifer recharge, widespread rainwater harvesting, and water-efficient practices to build resilience.
Government Initiatives
- Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Focus on rainwater harvesting in both rural and urban areas.
- Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0: Encourages rainwater harvesting and aquifer management in cities.
- Unified Building Bye Laws and Model Building Bye Laws: Promote water conservation and rainwater harvesting in urban infrastructure.
Recommendations for Future Action
- Scaling up programs and adopting advanced technologies are critical for meeting India’s growing water demands.
- Regular monitoring and smart resource management will ensure long-term groundwater sustainability and safe water access in cities.
