Contamination, Pollution and Quality

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Featured Articles
September 5, 2024
India's sewage future
The current state of play regarding sewage treatment standards in India
Clogged pipes: India's sewage treatment crisis (Image: Trey Ratcliff, Flickr Commons; CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
September 2, 2024
NGT’s uniform standards: A controversial approach to sewage management
Recommendations made by an expert committee, the NGT's subsequent orders, and a critical analysis of these developments
Drum screens at Bharwara sewage treatment plant (Image: India Water Portal)
August 30, 2024
India’s efforts at water pollution control: Legislative frameworks and real-world impacts
This article traces the evolution of the legislative framework for water pollution in India and its implications for wastewater treatment standards in the country. 
Open drains in Alwar (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos)
August 22, 2024
From pollution to solutions
The journey of sewage treatment standards and the challenge of treating India’s growing wastewater
Need to fix wastewater effluent standards (Image: Kristian Bjornard)
August 1, 2024
Weed wars: The hidden costs of herbicide use in rice
Recognising the limitations of relying solely on herbicides, a strategic shift towards preventive measures is crucial
Relying solely on chemicals to keep weeds at bay isn't sustainable and can harm the environment. (Image: Needpix)
June 12, 2024
The ripple effect of safe drinking water on health under Jal Jeevan Mission
Leveraging research to optimise water programs for improved health outcomes in India
Closing the tap on disease (Image: Marlon Felippe; CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons)
Safe water to fight fluorosis
What Basubai and her children needed to fight fluorosis was access to safe drinking water.
Anita Sharma
Posted on 12 Jul, 2018 12:06 PM

Basubai is a mother of three young children—Ajay (9), Manju (11) and Sonu (13). She is married to Mukesh Singh in Jamniamota village in Bakaner block in Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh.
Village woman shows her fluorosis-affected teeth. (Pic courtesy: PSI)
Five percent rainfall deficit recorded in June
News this week
Swati Bansal
Posted on 03 Jul, 2018 10:30 AM

Monsoon shows a deficit of five percent in June
Agriculture needs to be made climate resilient. (Image Source: India Water Portal)
When solving one health problem triggers another
Studies reveal that efforts at guinea worm eradication have triggered the spread of hydrofluorosis in Rajasthan.
Shanti Lal Choubisa
Posted on 27 Jun, 2018 02:17 PM

Up until two decades ago, the main sources of drinking water in Rajasthan included surface water from perennial ponds, reservoirs, lakes, dams, rivers and streams with borewells and tubewells used sparingly and only in remote areas. All this changed when guinea worm infections started appearing in the state. 
A child drinks water from a hand pump. (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Green toilet in my backyard
Ecological sanitation toilets are the best option to deal with mounting sewage burden in India.
Chicu Lokgariwar
Posted on 18 Jun, 2018 03:39 PM

Untreated sewage is the biggest source of water pollution in India with around 70 percent of the raw sewage generated in urban areas entering lakes, rivers, seas and underground aquifers.
Chicu with a pan used in ecosan toilet. (Photo courtesy: Chicu Lokgariwar)
Sawdust to treat wastewater
Researchers have come up with a low-cost method to help remove toxic dyes in wastewater.
Monika Kundu Srivastava
Posted on 17 Jun, 2018 07:15 PM

Water contamination due to dyes is a major cause of worry. A new study says sawdust from teak wood may help treat wastewater containing dyes and make it reusable. 
Sawdust from teak wood is found to be useful in removing gentian dye. (Source: IWP Flickr photos, photo used for representation only)
Indore retains its cleanest city tag
Indore became the cleanest city in India for the second time in a row, thanks to the untiring efforts of its municipal corporation and residents. A video tells the success story.
Makarand Purohit
Posted on 17 Jun, 2018 06:26 PM

Indore has retained its cleanest city tag in the clean India survey 2018. Before it was praised for its cleanliness drive in 2017, the city was just like any other urban city in India dealing with its mounting garbage problem.
Clean road near Pardesipura, Indore. (Source: India Water Portal)
Toilets need water, women suffer under ODF drive
Toilets in households have only increased the drudgery of village women as they have to fetch water from faraway sources for toilet use.
Amita Bhaduri
Posted on 12 Jun, 2018 01:28 PM

Rajasthan is all geared up for the open defecation free (ODF) status well before the national deadline of October 2, 2019. According to the assistant engineer of the nagar parishad, Resha Singh, 4.75 lakh toilets have been constructed since October 2, 2014 in Alwar district which is about to be declared ODF.
Village women collect water for toilet use. (Photo by India Water Portal)
Study finds uranium in groundwater across 16 states
News this week
Seetha Gopalakrishnan
Posted on 12 Jun, 2018 01:18 PM

Groundwater from aquifers across 16 states found to be contaminated with uranium
India's dependence on groundwater is very high across sectors. (Picture courtesy: Wikimedia Commons)
Wetland turns treasure trove of herbs
Medicinal herbs, edible greens and fruits thrive in and around Chennai’s Sembakkam lake, reveals a study.
Seetha Gopalakrishnan
Posted on 11 Jun, 2018 11:31 AM

The districts of Tiruvallur, Chennai and Kanchipuram once boasted of a landscape densely dotted with wetlands and a lifestyle that was closely linked to the survival of these water bodies.
Sembakkam lake currently spans across a 100 acres in South Chennai. (Picture courtesy: Care Earth Trust)
Water supply crisis hits Shimla hard
News this week
Seetha Gopalakrishnan
Posted on 29 May, 2018 11:55 AM

Shimla reels under severe water crunch
No water supply for seven consecutive days in Shimla leaves residents angry. (Photo courtesy: The Hindu)
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