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WATER CONTAmINATION

IN INDIA:

A GROWING CRISIS

— Team WAPTAG

Water contamination is one of the most severe
environmental challenges faced by India today.
The country grapples with the effects of rapid
urbanisation, industrialisation, and agricultural
intensification, all of which have intensified
the contamination of surface and groundwater
sources. India, home to 1.4 billion people,
finds itself at a critical juncture in balancing its
water resources with the demands of a growing
population. here, we explore the sources, scale,
and impact of water pollution in India, and
examine current initiatives and future strategies
to mitigate this escalating issue.

GROUNDWATER CONTAmINATION: defecation, contaminating nearby groundwater
sources with pathogens, thus spreading waterborne
A HIDDEN CRISIS diseases like cholera, dysentery, and typhoid.

Groundwater is a vital resource in India, supporting According to the National Green Tribunal (NGT),
over 60% of the nation’s agricultural irrigation and groundwater contamination due to arsenic affects 230
supplying drinking water to a significant portion of the districts across 25 states, while fluoride contamination
population. However, it is increasingly contaminated impacts 469 districts in 27 states. India is one of the
by a range of pollutants: world's largest groundwater users, with a significant
over-extraction rate that outpaces natural recharge,
• heavy Metals and Toxic Elements: Regions depleting this vital resource.
across states such as West bengal, Assam, and
Uttar Pradesh report high levels of arsenic, while
Rajasthan and Gujarat struggle with excessive SURFACE WATER POLLUTION:
fluoride levels in groundwater. Chronic exposure to RIVERS AT RISK
arsenic can cause serious health issues, including
skin lesions and cancer, while excessive fluoride India’s rivers, once revered as lifelines of the civilization,
leads to fluorosis, a condition causing severe joint are now bearing the brunt of severe pollution:
pain and skeletal deformities.
• Industrial Effluents and Domestic Waste: Over
• Nitrates: These primarily result from the overuse 61% of urban sewage and a substantial amount
of chemical fertilizers in agriculture, seeping into of industrial waste discharge directly into rivers
groundwater and posing a significant health risk. without any treatment. Rivers like the yamuna
High nitrate levels lead to methemoglobinemia, and the Ganges have become pollution hotspots,
commonly known as "blue baby syndrome," which receiving untreated sewage, plastic waste, and
hinders oxygen transport in infants. industrial effluents, making them unsafe even for
bathing in several locations.
• Industrial Discharges: Untreated waste from
industries introduces heavy metals such as lead, • Agricultural Runoff: The indiscriminate use of
mercury, and cadmium into groundwater sources. pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers has
Such contaminants are known to cause neurological significantly contributed to the pollution of rivers,
disorders and are harmful even in small quantities. lakes, and other surface water bodies. Runoff
from these chemicals enters rivers, leading to
• Biological Contaminants: Lack of proper sanitation nutrient pollution, which causes eutrophication—a
facilities, especially in rural areas, often leads to open phenomenon where excessive nutrients lead to

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