Why don’t people demand safe drinking water from taps? Until they do, India’s drinking water quality will remain abysmal
Yamuna water has reached the political corridors of Delhi. AAP and BJP are in a water war. Let’s ignore that and ask: why is tap water not potable almost everywhere in India? Data from NSSO’s 79th round (2022-23) shows that almost 95% of households in India have access to basic drinking water – piped water, tube wells, protected wells, and packaged water. But no one will take a bet that all the water supply is safe.
Tap water coverage, although significantly improved, still lags in rural India. Only 40% of rural households used piped water as their primary source of drinking water in 2023. The figure is 70% for urban households. However, despite this overall improving coverage, quality of tap water is a huge issue, thanks to poor quality of water both at source and through the piped distribution network. Niti Aayog’s ‘Composite Water Management Index’ published in June 2018 highlighted that India ranked 120 of 122 countries on the water quality index with nearly 70% of water being contaminated. An estimated 40mn litres of wastewater enters rivers and other water bodies every day. Only a small portion of it is treated.
Even when this treated water is pumped through pipes, the quality of water deteriorates as it is transported through old networks, often running next to sewage lines. This increases chances of contamination. Further, since supply is generally limited to a few hours each day, the lack of pressure in pipes allows for surrounding groundwater seepage. In short, water coming out of taps is mostly not fit for consumption. Quality varies greatly according to region and locality. In 2019, Mumbai’s quality of tap water was declared 100% safe. But just before the previous monsoon, the city had seen a spike in water-borne diseases. Politicians seem to not care. Why isn’t safe drinking water from taps an election issue? Until it is, sustained investment in piped water networks will never happen.
This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
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