Waste Water Management in India

Syllabus: GS3/Environment and Conservation

Context

• “Waste to Worth: Managing India’s Urban Water Crisis through Wastewater Reuse” report has been published jointly by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

Major Highlights

• A meagre 28% of the urban wastewater and sewage generated in India undergoes treatment while the rest flows directly into rivers, lakes and land.
• 20% of groundwater blocks are in critical condition or overexploited; 55% of the households have either open or no drains and 91% of 302 river stretches are polluted.
• Recommendations: 
  • India’s urban water crisis could ease if all the wastewater is treated and reused.
  • The Jal Shakti Ministry has mandated that cities must recycle and reuse at least 20% of the water they consume.

What is Wastewater?

• Wastewater is used water that has been contaminated by various substances and is typically generated from domestic, industrial, commercial, and agricultural activities. 
• It includes water that has been used for activities such as bathing, cooking, washing, and industrial processes.
•  Wastewater can contain a variety of pollutants, including:
  • Organic matter: Such as food scraps, soap, detergents, and human waste.
  • Chemicals: From cleaning products, industrial processes, or agricultural runoff.
  • Biological contaminants: Bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.
  • Nutrients: Such as nitrogen and phosphorus from human waste, fertilizers, or detergents.

Challenges with Wastewater Management:

• Pollution: Untreated or inadequately treated wastewater often contaminates rivers, lakes, and groundwater, leading to serious water pollution.
• Health Risks: Polluted water carries diseases like cholera, dysentery, and typhoid, affecting millions, particularly in rural areas and informal settlements.
• Overloaded Infrastructure: Many cities lack sufficient wastewater treatment facilities, leading to large volumes of untreated sewage being dumped into water bodies.
• Water Scarcity: Wastewater often goes untreated in regions facing water scarcity, further depleting already limited freshwater resources.
• Industrial Discharge: Industrial effluents, often toxic, are sometimes released directly into water sources without proper treatment, aggravating pollution levels.

Usage of Waste Water After Treatment

• Agriculture: Treated wastewater can be used for irrigation, reducing the dependency on freshwater sources for farming, especially in water-scarce areas.
• Industrial Use: It can be used in industrial processes like cooling, washing, and cleaning, reducing the demand for potable water in industries.
• Urban Landscaping: It can irrigate parks, gardens, and public green spaces, contributing to better urban planning and reducing water consumption.
• Recharging Groundwater: It can be used for artificial groundwater recharge, helping to restore depleting aquifers.
• Non-potable Domestic Uses: It can be used for non-drinking purposes helping reduce the pressure on municipal water supplies.

Government Initiatives

• Namami Gange Program: Launched to clean and rejuvenate the Ganges, this initiative focuses on wastewater treatment, sewerage infrastructure, and riverfront development to reduce pollution and improve water quality.
• Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT): Aimed at improving urban infrastructure, this mission focuses on providing sewage networks, wastewater treatment plants, and enhancing drainage systems in cities.
• Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban): This initiative includes the construction of individual and community toilets, solid waste management, and wastewater treatment facilities to improve sanitation and reduce water contamination.
• National River Conservation Plan (NRCP): Focuses on the treatment of wastewater entering rivers and improving water quality through the establishment of sewage treatment plants and intercepting drains.
• National Framework for Safe Reuse of Treated Water for states: The framework gives guidelines for the formulation of State reuse policy and is intended to build appropriate market and economic models for the reuse of treated waste water.
• State-Specific Programs: Many states have their own schemes for wastewater treatment, such as the Yamuna Action Plan and projects for treating industrial effluents.

Conclusion

• India has the potential to treat and reuse 80% of the wastewater generated, thereby improving water security and sustainably increasing revenue in several sectors.
• A large-scale recharge of groundwater in Kolar district of Karnataka, with treated wastewater pumped from Bengaluru, has helped improve groundwater quality and agricultural production and could serve as a model for other states and districts.

Source: BS