Groundwater Pollution in India Growing Crisis 

• Groundwater has been a crucial resource for India, sustaining the majority of the population’s drinking water and agricultural needs. 
• Over 85% of rural drinking water and 65% of irrigation water in the country comes from this vital resource. 
• However, despite its critical importance, India is facing an increasingly dire situation of groundwater depletion and contamination, which remains an urgent issue that requires immediate attention.
• A recent report by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has shed light on the growing problem of groundwater pollution across India. 

Status of Groundwater Pollution in India

•  The 2024 Annual Groundwater Quality Report by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) highlights alarming levels of pollutants across various regions. 

• Nitrate Contamination: 

• • • Extent: Nitrate contamination is widespread, affecting more than 20% of groundwater samples across 440 districts.
    • Key Areas: The highest levels of contamination are observed in North India.
    • Impact: Nitrate contamination is especially dangerous to infants. When infants consume water contaminated with nitrate—particularly when mixed with baby formula—Blue-Baby Syndrome (Methemoglobinemia) can occur, potentially leading to death. In Punjab, Haryana, and Karnataka, hospital admissions from acute nitrate toxicity have increased by 28% over the past five years.

• Arsenic Contamination:

• • • Extent: Arsenic levels exceed the WHO safe limit of 10 micrograms/liter in parts of Punjab and Bihar, with significant concentrations found in the Gangetic belt (West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Assam).
    • Key Areas: The 29 districts of Uttar Pradesh, including Ballia, report arsenic levels reaching 200 micrograms/liter, 20 times the WHO limit.
    • Impact: Chronic arsenic exposure is linked to a variety of serious health conditions, including cancer, neurological disorders, skin lesions, gangrene, and respiratory problems. The water contamination is responsible for widespread health problems in affected communities.

• Fluoride Contamination:

• • • Extent: Excessive fluoride levels were detected in more than 9% of groundwater samples across 230 districts in 20 states.
    • Key Areas: The highest fluoride contamination is found in Jhabua (Madhya Pradesh), where fluoride levels exceed 5 mg/L, affecting 40% of tribal children.
    • Impact: Dental and skeletal fluorosis are widespread, particularly in Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. Nearly 66 million people in India suffer from skeletal fluorosis, a painful condition that impedes mobility and growth.

• Uranium Contamination: 

• • • Extent: Uranium concentrations above 100 parts per billion (ppb) are reported in several districts of Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
    • Key Areas: The Malwa region of Punjab, for example, has uranium levels exceeding 30 micrograms/Liter, higher than the WHO threshold.
    • Impact: Long-term exposure to uranium-contaminated water leads to serious health risks, including chronic organ damage and nephrotoxicity (kidney damage).

• Iron and Salinity Contamination:

• • Extent: Over 13% of samples exceed safe limits for iron, and high salinity levels are common in coastal states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Haryana due to seawater intrusion.
  • Impact: Excessive iron in drinking water can lead to gastrointestinal issues and developmental disorders in children. Salinity, especially in inland regions, exacerbates water quality issues, affecting drinking water sources and agricultural productivity.

Main Causes of Groundwater Pollution in India

• Geogenic (Natural) Sources of Groundwater Pollution

• • • Mineral Dissolution: One of the natural sources of groundwater contamination is the dissolution of minerals from rocks and soil. When water interacts with specific geological formations in the aquifer, it can release naturally occurring contaminants like arsenic and fluoride into the groundwater. Over-extraction of groundwater can exacerbate this issue, as it alters the water chemistry, making previously confined pollutants more mobile.
    • Uranium in Rocks: Uranium, a naturally occurring element, is often found in certain rock types. It can leach into groundwater under specific geochemical conditions. The over-extraction of groundwater can disturb these layers, increasing uranium contamination in drinking water.

• Anthropogenic (Human-Induced) Sources of Groundwater Pollution: 

• • Agricultural Runoff:  The excessive use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides in agriculture has become a significant source of groundwater pollution. These chemicals seep into the soil and eventually contaminate groundwater, particularly raising nitrate levels, which pose a serious health risk, especially for children.
  • Over-exploitation of Groundwater: India faces widespread over-exploitation of groundwater for both agricultural and urban needs. Over-pumping of groundwater can reduce the water table and pull contaminants from deeper, previously untouched layers. This process brings geogenic toxins like arsenic and uranium closer to the surface. Additionally, it exposes the aquifers to salinity intrusions, further complicating the water quality issues.
  • Industrial Effluents: Industrial wastewater is often poorly treated and contains a variety of toxic chemicals, including heavy metals like cadmium, lead, chromium, and mercury. These pollutants can leak into the soil through cracks in pipes or improper disposal practices, eventually contaminating the water table. For example, in Budhpur, Baghpat (U.P.), 13 people died from kidney failure in 2023, allegedly due to toxic discharges from nearby sugar mills and paper industries.
  • Inadequate Sanitation Infrastructure: Inadequate sanitation infrastructure in rural and peri-urban India has resulted in human waste leaching into the soil. This contamination introduces harmful pathogens and nitrates into the groundwater, often leading to public health crises. For example, in Paikarapur (Odisha), a faulty sewage treatment plant allowed waste to seep into the groundwater, causing widespread illness, including cholera and hepatitis A & E.
  • Institutional Fragmentation: India’s water regulatory agencies, such as the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs), operate in silos. This lack of coordination hampers the effectiveness of monitoring and regulation, leading to inefficiencies in controlling groundwater pollution.
  • Weak Legal Enforcement: Although India has the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act in place to prevent and control water pollution, its enforcement remains weak. Regulatory loopholes and lax compliance with pollution control norms allow polluters to evade legal consequences, worsening the pollution problem.
  • Lack of Real-Time Data and Monitoring: The monitoring of groundwater quality is insufficient and infrequent, with limited public access to the data. Without proper early warning systems or integration with public health surveillance, contaminated groundwater often goes unnoticed until it leads to severe health issues. This delays responses and remedies, exacerbating the public health impact.

Government Initiatives to Control Groundwater Pollution in India

• Regulatory Framework: The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) is the governing body responsible for regulating and controlling groundwater development in India. The CGWA has implemented several regulations, including the prohibition of groundwater extraction without permission in over-exploited and critical zones. The authority also oversees the treatment and disposal of wastewater, which plays a critical role in preventing the contamination of groundwater sources. By enforcing these regulations, the CGWA ensures that groundwater extraction is sustainable and that pollution risks are minimized.

• Jal Shakti Abhiyan:  The Jal Shakti Abhiyan is a comprehensive national initiative aimed at water conservation and rejuvenating groundwater levels across India. The campaign focuses on practices such as rainwater harvesting, water conservation, and the recharging of groundwater. By promoting water conservation measures at the community level, this initiative works to replenish and protect groundwater, improving both its quantity and quality for future generations.

• National Aquifer Mapping Project:  One of the key challenges in managing groundwater pollution is the lack of detailed knowledge about the aquifers. The National Aquifer Mapping Project, led by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), aims to map the aquifers across the country. This project helps create an understanding of the country’s groundwater resources, their quality, and their susceptibility to contamination. The mapping data will provide critical insights for sustainable groundwater management practices, ultimately supporting pollution control efforts.

• Atal Bhujal Yojana: The Atal Bhujal Yojana is a scheme designed to address the issue of water scarcity in water-stressed districts of India. This initiative adopts a community-led approach to groundwater management, encouraging active participation from local communities in water conservation and sustainable usage. The program aims to improve groundwater quality through measures such as regulating water extraction, ensuring equitable water distribution, and educating the public on sustainable groundwater use.

 Way Forward 

• A National Legal Framework: India’s rapidly depleting and contaminated groundwater reserves require a clear and comprehensive national legal framework to regulate its extraction and use. Implementing a system of permits and fees would encourage responsible usage and discourage the over-exploitation of groundwater resources. This can significantly mitigate long-term environmental damage and ensure sustainable water use for future generations.

• A Shift Towards Sustainable Farming : To minimize groundwater contamination, it is crucial to reduce the excessive use of agrochemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides. Precision agriculture, integrated pest management, and organic farming practices should be promoted across India. These techniques not only reduce runoff into groundwater but also promote healthier farming systems, enhancing both agricultural productivity and environmental health.

• Strict Enforcement of Regulations: While the Central Groundwater Authority (CGWA) has laid down crucial guidelines for groundwater extraction and pollution control, strict enforcement is required to ensure compliance. Regular monitoring and heavy penalties for violators will strengthen these regulations, holding industries, agriculture, and municipalities accountable for safeguarding groundwater quality.

• A Zero Liquid Discharge Target: Industries play a significant role in contaminating groundwater through untreated effluents. **Mandating the installation of effective effluent treatment plants (ETPs) and promoting the “zero liquid discharge” principle can drastically reduce industrial waste entering water bodies. Setting long-term goals for industries to achieve zero discharge will limit pollution and protect aquifers from harmful contaminants.

• Investing in Wastewater Treatment: To reduce the infiltration of untreated waste into underground aquifers, both centralized and decentralized wastewater treatment plants must be expanded, especially in urban and peri-urban areas. The government should prioritize investments in sewage treatment infrastructure, aiming for comprehensive, sustainable solutions to treat urban wastewater before it infiltrates groundwater.

• Empowering Local Communities for Groundwater Management: Local communities play a vital role in groundwater conservation. By fostering Water User Associations (WUAs) and encouraging participatory groundwater management models, communities can take ownership of groundwater monitoring and regulation. Additionally, public awareness campaigns can raise consciousness about the sources of pollution, the need for conservation, and the importance of safe waste disposal.

• Research, Monitoring, and Real-Time Data: To tackle the growing groundwater crisis, continuous quality monitoring should be prioritized. Utilizing advanced sensor networks and AI analytics can help identify pollution hotspots and enable targeted interventions. Special attention must be given to areas affected by hazardous contaminants like arsenic, fluoride, and nitrate, where location-specific remediation solutions such as community water purification systems should be implemented.