Although access to drinking water has improved in the last decade, the World Bank estimates that 21 per cent of communicable diseases in India are related to unsafe water. In India, diarrhea alone causes more than 1,600 deaths daily and 600 million dollars of economic burden is created each year on account of water problems. 67 per cent of the Indian households do not treat their drinking water, even though it could be contaminated by bacteria and chemicals.

If we need to resolve the problem, we need to encourage ‘Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage Methods’ to provide an extra barrier of protection. This will ensure safe drinking water quality is available to all. These methods have gained increased recognition and are implemented in the developing world as a means of safe drinking water at the point-of-use. The idea is simple - to treat water at the point of use, preferably using effective but low-cost treatment technologies that could be developed using locally available raw materials. These methods can wipe out disease causing micro-organisms which include bacteria (such as giardia lamblia), viruses and parasites. Drinking water contaminated with micro-organisms can cause gastroenteritis, salmonella infection, dysentery, shigellosis, hepatitis, and giardiasis (a gastrointestinal infection causing diarrhea, abdominal cramps and gas).

The other way to deal with the water quality problem is to advocate the use of 24*7 water supply system, in which water is available round the clock in all the taps on a continuous basis. In a continuous supply, the distribution system is constantly pressurised so that no contamination can come into the water pipelines even when there are small leaks in the system. It also means water flow will have sufficient pressure so that it can flow automatically up to the third floor of the houses without need of any in-home storage or pumping. And, most importantly, it means water, free from contamination which can be drunk right from the tap without fear of illness.

In an intermittent supply, when the water supply is stopped, pressure in the pipelines is turned off, and there is a great risk of raw sewage being sucked directly into the water lines due to the negative pressure developed inside. Only continuous positive pressure in the water lines can protect the system from contamination.

In order to maintain a continuously pressurised 24/7 system, it is important that leakages should be minimised and that consumers exercise ‘Demand Management’ through metering and tariffs. It helps to promote conservation and recover costs while still protecting the poor. In a 24/7 water supply, the resources should be so effectively managed that the water lines are extended even into poor neighborhoods and that everyone has access to safe, sustainable and affordable 24/7 water.

Household Water Treatment Methods and 24*7 water supply have a limitation that they only deal with microbiological contamination of water but not with chemical contamination present in the water. These chemical contaminations predominantly include Arsenic, Fluoride and Iron.

In chemically contaminated areas we need to promote technologies relevant to the type of contamination. There are some technologies/methods available to deal with the different types of contamination.

The quality of drinking water is significant and is an important factor to maintain the health of an individual. There are lots of technologies available to deal with different types of contamination and yet so many people die of diseases caused by water contamination. The lack of community involvement and cultural attitudes and behavior towards treating water is one of the problems that needs to be looked upon more vigilantly.

There is also a need to carry out intensive awareness campaigns on the adverse health effects of contaminated water and to motivate communities to adopt preventive measures in cooperation with local government. bodies and NGOs. All modes of communication tools such as mass media and communication facilities of government/non-government organisations in this matter need to be explored so that more and more people can have access to safe drinking water and incidents of diseases caused by contamination level can be lessened.  q

Sources:
1. http://urbanorissa.gov.in/pdf/document/puri_vol_I.pdf
2. http://www.unicef.org/india/wes.html
3. http://water.org/country/india/
4. http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/file/handbook.pdf