Context: National Jal Jeevan Mission has launched an innovation challenge in partnership with Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade to develop portable devices for water testing.
Key Points

• Aim: The challenge aims to ensure that water sources are tested at various locations, at different levels; thereby, helping the policy framers to design programs which address the water contamination issues.

What was the need of this challenge?

• Drinking water supply in rural areas is from both from the groundwater (80%) and surface water (20%) sources. However, due to the depleting groundwater level, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, the use of surface water is on the rise.
• Hence, for both groundwater and surface water based rural drinking water supply systems, it is important to measure relevant area-specific contaminations to ensure access to potable water.
• Further, the Uniform Drinking Water Quality Protocol, 2019 has also specified some important parameters to be monitored for assuring portability of drinking water as per BIS IS 10500:2012 and subsequent amendments.

Additional Facts

• Jal Jeevan Mission: It aims to provide every rural household with functional household tap connections (FHTCs) with adequate quantity and of prescribed quality of water on a regular and long-term basis by 2024.
• It is being implemented by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Jal Shakti Ministry.

Key Features

• The mission implements source sustainability measures as mandatory elements, such as recharge and reuse through grey water management, water conservation, rain water harvesting.
• The mission is based on a community approach to water and will include extensive Information, Education and communication as a key component of the mission.
• Water quality testing is one of the priority areas under the mission. It also looks to create a jan andolan for water thereby making it everyone’s priority.

Water Quality Parameters under Jal Jeevan Mission