Groundwater Contamination

Faecal contamination in Yamuna soars to 1,959x over safe limit in Sept

Despite improved dissolved oxygen levels from August rains, faecal pollution in the Yamuna surged to 4.9M units in September, 1,959 times the safe limit, marking the worst contamination since 2022

NGT seeks response from authorities after contaminated water makes 300 ill

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought a response from authorities, including the district magistrate of Greater Noida, in a matter regarding the supply of contaminated water to a housing society. The green panel had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of a newspaper report, according to which water containing E coli bacteria and bleaching powder was recently supplied to Supertech Ecovillage 2 in Greater Noida West. Consumption of the contaminated water led to over 300 residents, including 170 children, falling ill. In its order dated October 1, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said, "The news item raises substantial issues relating to compliance of provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and the Environment Protection Act." The bench, also comprising judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert members A Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmad, impleaded as parties or respondents the member secretaries of the Central Pollution ...

Controlling chemical contamination in agri raw materials must: FSSAI

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Saturday asserted that controlling chemical contamination in agricultural raw materials is essential for advancing the food industry. FSSAI executive director Inoshi Sharma said enforcing Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) in crops, fruits, and spices presents a significant challenge. Speaking at an event organised by the Bharat Chamber of Commerce here, she stressed the need for regular audits and the rejection of non-compliant produce at farm gates. Sharma also underscored the importance of educating buyers about the detrimental effects of excessive pesticide use, which can lead to contamination in raw materials. She announced plans to form a committee with representatives from various ministries and departments to address this issue. Furthermore, Sharma emphasised the necessity for accurate labeling and the avoidance of misleading claims by Food Business Organizations (FBOs). She advocated for a culture of 'Self-Compliance' amo

Over 200 fall ill from contaminated water at Greater Noida housing society

In response to the complaints, the society's maintenance team has conducted an inspection of the water tanks and collected samples for testing

Over 90 fall ill after consuming contaminated water in Maharashtra village

Ninety three persons have suffered from stomach infections after apparently consuming contaminated water from a well at a village in Maharashtra's Nanded district, officials said on Monday. The Mugaon Tanda village, where the incident took place, has 107 houses with a population of 440, as per the officials. Ninety three persons approached a local health centre on June 26 and 27 with complaints of abdominal pain and loose motions, district health officer Balaji Shinde told PTI. While 56 patients were treated in the Mugaon Tanda village, 37 others were referred to a primary health centre in neighbouring Manjaram village and later discharged, he said. A team of doctors was stationed in the Mugaon Tanda village, the official said. "We conducted a survey and the possible source of infection was a well from where water is supplied to the villagers. The well has been sealed and water from a nearby filter plant is being made available to the villagers," he said.

India's most innovative cities including Bengaluru run out of water

Tech professionals are leaving India's IT hub of Bengaluru amid an intensifying drought that has gripped the city as it sweats through another torrid pre-monsoon season

Arsenic found in groundwater in 25 states, fluoride in 27 states: Govt

Arsenic has been detected in groundwater in parts of 230 districts in 25 states and fluoride in 469 districts in 27 states, Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Bishweswar Tudu informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday. In a written reply, the minister said that the ground water contamination reported by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) is mostly geogenic in nature and does not show significant change over the years. The CGWB under the Ministry of Jal Shakti conducts regular monitoring and assessment of groundwater quality including ground water contamination of Arsenic and Fluoride. The board has carried out various studies in collaboration with other institutions, he said. These studies indicate the occurrence of arsenic and fluoride in ground water beyond permissible limits -- set by the Bureau of Indian Standards -- for human consumption in isolated pockets in various states and Union Territories, he said. Arsenic has been reported in parts of 230 districts in 25 states and ...

Joe Biden declares emergency over lead in water in US Virgin Islands

President Joe Biden declared an emergency over lead-in-water contamination in the U.S. Virgin Islands earlier this week after tests on St. Croix revealed levels more than 100 times the limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency among the worst results a U.S. community has seen in decades. On a personal level, it's been frightening and frustrating, said resident Frandelle Gerard, executive director of Crucian Heritage and Nature Tourism, Inc. Officials told residents to stop using their taps and began distributing bottled water. Lead can have devastating effects on childhood development, behaviour and IQ scores. But experts consulted by The Associated Press said the frightening results may be false because they came from testing that does not meet EPA standards. The data should be thrown into the garbage, said Marc Edwards, a Virginia Tech lead and water expert who helped identify the lead problems in Flint, Michigan. If the information given to St. Croix residents turns ou

Kejriwal directs Delhi Jal Board to resolve water contamination issues

Water Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj, Delhi Jal Board Vice Chairman Somnath Bharti, and senior DJB officials were present at the review meeting

Brackish groundwater in most parts of Delhi: Central Ground Water Board

The groundwater in most parts of Delhi is brackish in nature and the nitrate concentration is high in the northeastern parts of the capital, the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has said in a report. "Chemical analysis of ground water samples collected in May 2021 showed that nitrate content in groundwater is within the permissible limit of 45 micrograms per litre in most of the state. However, concentration in the north-eastern parts of Delhi is high," the CGWB's groundwater year book 2021-22 said. Except a few locations in the northern and western parts of the city, all areas have a fluoride concentration within the permissible limit of 1.5 micrograms per litre, it said. The eastern parts of Delhi, especially the areas around the Yamuna floodplains and the Delhi Quartzite Ridge zones, have an electrical conductivity (EC) within the permissible range of 0 to 2,250 microsiemens per centimetre, the CGWB said. "The rest of the capital, barring some pockets of southwest, northwest an

High arsenic concentration in groundwater of 18 districts in Bihar: Study

High arsenic concentration has been found in groundwater in 18 districts of Bihar, as well as its correlation with incidences of gallbladder cancer at these places, according to a new study, a senior official said. People in these districts are drinking water with arsenic concentration greater than the World Health Organisation's permissible limit of 10 microgram per litre, he said. The study by experts has found that out of the 38 districts, 18 have high arsenic contamination in groundwater. The worst-affected districts are Buxar, Bhojpur and Bhagalpur. The highest arsenic contamination (1906 ug/L) in groundwater is in Buxar, Ashok Kumar Ghosh, Chairman of the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB), told PTI. Now, arsenic as a possible risk factor for gallbladder cancer has been found in the study. Public health intervention in the form of removing arsenic from drinking water is the need of the hour in the endemic regions of Bihar and Assam. Tackling arsenic pollution may help

High uranium concentration in groundwater in Bihar worries authorities

The high concentration of uranium in groundwater in certain districts in Bihar has left the authorities worried

Order water quality test in Gujarat, UP, MP, not just in Delhi: DJB to govt

Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta had urged the Union jal shakti minister to order a test of the quality of water being supplied in the national capital, alleging that people consuming it were falling sick

Massive groundwater contamination in 31 districts of Bihar: Economic Survey

The consumption of contaminated water causes skin, liver, kidney and other water-borne diseases.

Scientists identify new potential groundwater 'arsenic hotspots' in India

Scientists have found an increased probability of high arsenic levels in well waters in parts of India where previously arsenic hazard was generally not considered to be a major concern

Excess uranium in Gujarat, Rajasthan's groundwater poses grave health risks

Unlike the limits for arsenic and other toxic metals specified in the Indian standards for drinking water, there is no limit maintained for uranium