In rural Madhya Pradesh, a concerning proportion of drinking water is unsafe for consumption, according to a recent assessment. A Union government survey under the Jal Jeevan Mission revealed that 36.7% of drinking water samples from rural areas in the state were not potable. This highlights potential risks within village water supply systems.
The central government's "Functionality Assessment of Household Tap Connections 2024," which was released last month, covered 15,094 rural households between September and October 2024. The assessment involved testing water samples for parameters such as E. coli, total coliform, and pH levels in NABL-accredited labs, as well as on-site testing.
The report also highlighted operational gaps, with 23.4% of households reporting irregular tap water supply. Additionally, 36.7% of households did not have functional taps at the time of the survey. While only a small percentage of respondents (3.7%) expressed dissatisfaction with the water quality, nearly 22% indicated that the quantity of water supplied was inadequate. This suggests that safety issues might be under-reported or not easily detectable by consumers.
These findings come amid growing concerns about water contamination in the region, particularly after recent incidents in Indore. The deaths of at least 10 people in Indore, linked to contaminated drinking water, have drawn attention to long-standing warnings about sewage mixing with water supplies. A 2016-17 report by the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) had previously flagged faecal contamination in multiple localities, indicating that the problem was known but not adequately addressed.
The 2016-2017 MPPCB investigation found groundwater contamination across Indore, including Bhagirathpura. Samples from around 60 locations, including borewells and hand pumps, showed total coliform levels exceeding 10 MPN per 100ml in nearly all samples, rendering the water unfit for consumption and indicating faecal pollution. The MPPCB formally communicated these findings to the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC), recommending that affected water sources be declared unsafe for drinking and suggesting measures to prevent sewage from contaminating water lines.
Adding to concerns, approximately 88% of hospitals in Madhya Pradesh are reportedly supplying unsafe drinking water to patients. In schools, 26.7% of samples failed microbiological tests, potentially exposing children to contaminated water daily. In Indore district, the survey revealed that only 33% of rural households received potable water, a figure described by officials as below acceptable levels.
