It Is Serious If Water Quality Test Report Is True - It Is More Serious If The Test Report Is Untrue

Bimal Prasad Pandia

If we believe the data entered into the MIS of  Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, then the RWSS department of Odisha has found out 1.4 mg/L of Arsenic in a source in Nuapada district in the year 2015-16. If this level of Arsenic contamination in the water source was true, then that should have rung alarm bells at all levels as 1.4mg of Arsenic in one liter of water is seriously life-threatening. The Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) specifies that 0.01 Mg/L is the ‘acceptable limit’ for Arsenic while at best 0.05 Mg/L is the permissible limit in absence of alternate source. 

If the RWSS department did identify such high level of Arsenic in the drinking water source then it was the first identification of Arsenic contamination in a drinking water source in Odisha. That finding should have stirred all concerned from slumber as not only Arsenic contamination was identified for the first time but that was identified in an area which is ridden with serious fluoride contamination in water. Fluoride and Arsenic are two of the most serious chemical contaminants which are life-threatening and or cripple people. That is why the central government has launched national-submission to ensure safe water in areas affected by Fluoride and Arsenic contaminated water. 

If Arsenic contamination, and that too of such a high level, was identified in that source in Nuapada district in a test conducted on February 08, 2016, then everybody concerned - starting from the laboratory technician who did the study to senior officials in the RWSS Odisha and also the union Ministry for Drinking Water and Supply - should have taken note of it. But in this case, prima-facie, it seems that nobody was bothered or concerned even a bit about it.  The MIS of the Ministry is designed to provide information so that water quality can be monitored and surveillance can be done at different levels. In this case, nothing happened. 

This example gives enough evidence to raise strong critical fingers at the manner in which water quality tests are being done, reported and monitoring and surveillence is conducted. In the present case, this particular source in Sinapali block of Nuapda district in Odisha was first tested only on February 08, 2016 when the Nuapada district laboratory of RWSS reportedly found 1.4mg/L of Arsenic in the source. That was the only chemical parameter that RWSS laboratory tested in that year. 

As per Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance mandate of the government, the drinking water supplying departments of government have to mandatorily test at least eight chemical parameters - Alkalinity, Arsenic, Chloride, Fluoride, Iron, Nitrate, pH and TDS. These tests have to be done at least once every year. Besides, all sources have to be tested at least twice a year for bacterial contamination. In this case, the Nuapada district laboratory of RWSS conducted test of Arsenic parameter only and reportedly found very high level of Arsenic contamination. 

The MIS is designed to ensure proper and thorough Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance. But in this case, monitoring and surveillance were seen nowhere. When the RWSS found the source as having seriously harmful level of contamination, as per the mandate of the Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance, the RWSS should have gone for more tests of the source to verify the contamination level. The RWSS did not do that. It tested that source 19 months later. But, surprisingly, Arsenic parameter was not even tested in that second test whose result was reported to the MIS on September 09, 2016. The only chemical parameter tested in the second test was fluoride. High Arsenic was found in the previous test but the parameter was not even tested in the next test. Not only did the RWSS neglected, nobody in the whole chain of Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance seemed bothered or interested.

This is utterly confusing and disappointing. It points to grave instances of negligence and/or incompetence by the RWSS, the organization designated to test water quality in rural Odisha and ensure supply of safe water. This is serious violation water quality monitoring and surveillance protocol. 

It is serious if the test report that the said source in Nuapada district of Odisha was found with absolutely dangerous level of Arsenic was true. It is more serious that Arsenic contamination was true but no follow up was done. But, it is far more serious if the report of Arsenic contamination was untrue as that gives evidence of seriously malfunctioning Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance mechanism. 

Hopefully, the Panchayatiraj and Drinking Water department in the Government of Odisha, the Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Supply will take note of such serious lapses and/or inefficiencies in water quality monitoring and surveillance and people's right to safe water is being threatened with such acts. A time has come where every person has to start doing monitoring and surveillance of water quality.