Chennai water safe: Govt rejects IIT Madras findings

Chennai: Rejecting IIT Madras' findings, govt asserted that Chennai's drinking water sources, including lakes, are free from ‘forever chemicals' PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).

A state pollution control board study across 40 locations, including Chembarambakkam lake, Adyar river, and Buckingham Canal, found PFAS levels below the quantification threshold. Govt maintained that industries near waterbodies follow strict waste discharge policies, though some samples collected between Napier Bridge and Tondiarpet contained fluoride, iron, and chloride. On the outskirts and southern part of the city, sewage mixing was detected, and steps are being taken to address it.

IIT-M's study reported PFAS levels between 23 and 136 ng/L about 400 times higher than advisory limits of 0.004-0.02 ng/L. NGT principal bench in New Delhi, taking suo motu cognizance, directed TN and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to hold a detailed examination.

PFAS are synthetic chemicals, commonly found in non-stick cookware, upholstery, industrial materials, and food packaging. Their presence in drinking water has been linked to serious health risks, including liver damage, low infant birth weights, hormonal imbalances, fertility issues, immune system suppression, and even cancer.

While Tamil Nadu has asserted that its water is safe, CPCB informed NGT that only a limited number of studies on forever chemicals have been conducted in India. Based on past research, CPCB noted a significant rise in perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) levels in water samples from south India. CPCB attributed this increase to a shift in industrial production from developed nations to countries such as China and India, following the US environmental protection agency's (EPA) phase-out initiative under the stewardship programme a voluntary agreement with manufacturers to reduce and eliminate PFAS use.

The tribunal noted that while Bureau of Indian Standards has yet to set drinking water standards for PFAS, this does not absolve CPCB and the Union environment ministry from establishing compliance norms under Water Act, 1974. It has added the ministry as a respondent in the case, which is scheduled for a hearing on April 29.


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