Water contamination high in rural areas: Report

PUNE: Availability of safe and potable water continues to be a distant dream for the rural populace of Maharashtra. Going by a report of the state health department, 25 per cent of the samples analysed at 30 public health laboratories in the state over the last two years were found to be unfit for drinking purposes, with an alarming level of microbial contamination.
As for the urban parts of the state, six to seven per cent of the total samples tested were found to be failing on the safety parameters every year. This is revealed in the report Health Status: Maharashtra, 2009,' released recently by the State Health Systems Resource Centre (SHSRC).
Speaking to TOI on Wednesday, Prakash Doke, executive director of the SHSRC, said, "Results of water samples' testing at the public health laboratories in the state have indicated alarming levels of contamination in water in rural areas. This clearly indicates the failure of government agencies responsible for keeping water safe and potable for people."
Water samples from various rural parts of the state were found unsafe due to the presence of high percentage of Faecal Coliform and other microbial contamination, added Doke. The contamination of water, especially in rural areas, was found out to be alarmingly high. The samples tested were mainly taken from tap water and well water in rural areas, whereas in urban areas, samples of tap water were mainly taken for testing.
Doke said, "Of the 2,17,044 water samples taken for testing from rural areas in 2007-08, as many as 59,965 were found to be unsafe for drinking. While, of the 1,75,044 samples, a total 46,454 were found to be unsafe in 2008-09."
It may be noted that water pollution in rural areas is caused due to discharge of domestic sewage directly or indirectly into water bodies, agricultural run-off during rainy season containing chemical fertilisers and pesticides as well as effluents from agro-based industries, added Doke. "Chlorinating water at regular intervals helps keep it safe from getting contaminated. However, state agencies do not seem to be taking this work seriously."
Similarly, a considerable percentage of samples from urban parts were also found to be failing on safety parameters. "A total six to seven per cent samples from urban parts failed on the safety parameters every year, during 2007-08 and 2008-09," said Doke. These samples were also found to have presence of Faecal Coliform and other microbial contamination, added Doke.
There are 30 public health laboratories in the state. The laboratory in Pune functions as the State Public Health Laboratory. The laboratories at Aurangabad and Nagpur are regional laboratories, and the remaining 27 public health laboratories are District Public Health Laboratories, said Doke. All the 42 thousand villages in the state are covered by these district health laboratories, added Doke.
BOX:
2007-08 Urban Rural Total
Total samples sent 2,19,440 2,17,044 4,36,484
Samples contaminated 16, 240 59, 965 4,36,484
Samples contaminated 7.4 % 27 % 17.5 %
(in per cent)
2008-09 Urban Rural Total
Total samples sent 2,05,849 1,75,044 3,80,893
Samples contaminated 13,884 46,454 60,338
Samples contaminated 6.7 % 26.5 % 15.8 %
(in per cent)
(Source: Health Status Maharashtra, 2009' prepared by SHSRC, Public Health Department, government of Maharashtra)
eom/umesh
ORIGINAL
Story filed by Umesh Isalkar
March 24
Umesh Isalkar/tnn
Pune: Availability of safe and potable water continues to be a distant dream for rural populace in Maharashtra. Going by the report of the state health department, 25 percent of the samples analysed at 30 public health laboratories in the state were found to be unfit for drinking purposes with alarming level of microbial contamination in the last two years.
As for urban parts of the state, six to seven percent of the total samples tested were found to be failing on the safety parameters every year. This is revealed in the report Health Status: Maharashtra 2009' recently released by the State Health Systems Resource Centre (SHSRC).
"Results of water samples' testing at the public health laboratories in the state have indicated alarming level of contamination in water in rural areas. This clearly indictates the failure of government agencies responsible for keeping water safe and potable for people," Prakash Doke, executive director of the SHSRC told TOI on Wednesday.
Water samples from various rural parts of the state was found unsafe due to the presence of high percetage of Faecal Coliform and other microbial contamination, added Doke
The contamination of water especially in rural areas was found out to be alarmingly high. The samples tested were mainly taken from tap water and well water in rural areas, whereas in urban areas, samples of tap water were mainly taken for testing.
"Of the 2, 17, 044 water samples taken for testing from rural areas in 2007-08, as many as 59,965 were found to be unsafe for drinking. While, of the 1,75,044 samples, a total 46,454 were found to be unsafe in 2008-09," said Doke.
The water pollution in rural areas is caused due to discharge of domestic sewage directly or indirectly into water bodies, agricultural run-off during rainy season containing chemical fertilisers and pesticides and effluents from agro-based industries, added Doke.
"Chlorinating water at regular intervals helps in keeping water safe from getting contaminated. However, the state government agencies seem be not taking this work seriously," said Doke.
Similarly, considerable percentage of samples from urban parts were also found to be failing on safety parameters of sage and usable water.
"A total six to seven percent samples from urban parts failed on the safety parameters every year during 2007-08 and 2008-09," said Doke. These samples were also found to have presence of Faecal Coliform and other microbial contamination, added Doke.
There are 30 public health laboratories in the state. The laboratory at Pune functions as the State Public Health Laboratory. The laboratories at Aurangabad and Nagpur are regional laboratories, and remaining 27 public health laboratories are District Public Health Laboratories, said Doke. All the 42 thousand villages in the state are covered by these district health laboratories, added Doke.
BOX:
2007-08 Urban Rural Total
Total samples sent 219,440 217,044 436,484
Samples contaminated 16, 240 59, 965 436,484
% samples contaminated 7.4 % 27 % 17.5 %
2008-09 Urban Rural Total
Total samples sent 205849 175044 380893
Samples contaminated 13,884 46,454 60,338
% samples contaminated 6.7 % 26.5 % 15.8 %
(Source: Health Status - Maharashtra 2009 prepared by SHSRC, Public Health Department, government of Maharashtra)
eom/umesh