Drinking Water Contamination in Indore

• A health crisis occurred in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, due to mixing of sewage with drinking water.
• This incident highlights concerns regarding urban wastewater management (UWM) in India.
  • Urban wastewater management refers to the collection, treatment, and safe disposal or reuse of wastewater generated in cities.
• Poor UWM has the potential to turn water contamination into a public health crisis.

Status of Urban Wastewater Management in India

• The estimated wastewater generation in urban areas was approximately 72,368 Million Litres per Day (MLD) in 2020–21, according to NITI Aayog.
• 72 percent of this wastewater remains untreated.
• Untreated wastewater is disposed of into rivers, lakes, or infiltrates into groundwater, polluting water resources.

Potential Health Impacts

• Contaminated water can cause cholera, a bacterial infection causing severe diarrhea.
• It can also lead to diarrhoea and dysentery, causing dehydration and gastrointestinal illness.
• Hepatitis A, a viral liver infection, is another potential consequence.
• Drinking contaminated water can also spread typhoid.
• Polio, a viral disease affecting the nervous system, is another risk associated with poor wastewater management.

Wastewater Treatment Systems

• On-site treatment systems retain wastewater near the toilet in a pit or tank.
• Sludge produced in on-site systems is removed periodically.
• Off-site treatment systems include a sewerage network to transport sewage to a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP).
  • Sewage Treatment Plants clean wastewater to remove contaminants before release or reuse.

Challenges Faced by UWM in India

• Institutional challenges exist as government departments often work in silos, duplicating efforts.
• Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), primarily responsible for wastewater management, often lack capacity and expertise.
• Archaic infrastructure is a key issue, including lack of periodic maintenance and rehabilitation.
• Limited land availability restricts the setup of new wastewater treatment plants.
• Economic challenges include high non-revenue water, which is water lost due to leaks or theft.
• Urban water service providers also face unrealistic tariffs, low tariff collection, and inadequate cost recovery.
• Technological challenges include absence of affordable and efficient treatment technologies.
• There is also a lack of mapping of connectivity of sewage drainage systems, hampering planning and maintenance.

Solutions for Sustainable Urban Wastewater Management

• Decentralized treatment systems treat wastewater as close to its source as possible, which is ecologically beneficial.
• Urban and industrial waste reforms include mandating Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD).
  • Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) ensures that all wastewater is treated and reused with no discharge into the environment.
• Reforms also include regulating landfills and enforcing penalties for illegal discharges.
• Modernized monitoring systems integrate water quality data with health surveillance platforms like Health Management Information System (HMIS).
  • Integration with HMIS allows early detection of waterborne disease outbreaks.
• Nature-based solutions include constructed wetlands, green roofs, living walls, waste stabilization ponds, and vermifiltration.
• These solutions use natural processes to treat wastewater sustainably and cost-effectively.