India’s tap water quality is experiencing improvements, but very few people are confident in drinking it without purifying it first. The number of Indians who believe that the we are getting better tap water has increased in the past year. In a local survey, 44% of respondents stated that their tap water is good or better, compared to 35% last year. The survey suggested that this improvement might be due to increased community involvement and more regular quality testing. This is achieved at the district and panchayat levels, courtesy Jal Jeevan Mission.
Both urban and rural households are gaining better access to tap water. However, the quality of the tap water remains crucial for the health of users. This is critical as waterborne diseases like amoebic dysentery and cholera can spread through contaminated water. According to the survey, 15% of respondents rated the piped water they receive at home as “very good,” 29% as “good,” and 32% as “average.” On the other hand, 10% rated it as “poor,” 4% as “very poor,” and 8% reported not receiving piped water in their homes. Only 3% of respondents stated that they do not need to purify tap water before drinking it.
The majority, 44%, purify it using a Reverse Osmosis (RO) system, while 28% use a water purifier. A mere 2% use chlorination, alum, and other minerals, and 11% resort to boiling water for purification. Additionally, 5% use clay vessels for purification, 5% buy bottled water and 2% consume tap water directly without any purification. Transparency Market Research predicts that the water purifier market in India is expected to reach a valuation of $4.1 billion by the end of 2024, compared to $1.1 billion in 2015. The RO sector held 37% of the market share in terms of total revenue in 2015.
Why you cannot drink you tap water?
It’s essential to understand why tap water may be impure. Water quality may deteriorate as it travels through trunk mains to service reservoirs. During this transportation, contamination occurs. This is mainly due to poorly maintained last-mile pipeline networks.
Impact of Jal Jeevan Mission(JJM) on nation’s health
The Jal Jeevan Mission has the potential to significantly impact the nation’s health. A study commissioned by the Jal Shakti Ministry and conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that if JJM successfully provides piped potable water to all of India, it could avert close to 400,000 deaths from diarrhoea. The study also indicates that it could avoid 14 million DALYS (Disability Adjusted Life Years) from diarrhoea. It can also save close to $101 billion and 66.6 million hours every day of time spent by women collecting water. Currently, about 12.3 crore rural households, or 62%, have piped water connections. This is a significant increase from 3.2 crore or approximately 16.6% in 2019 when the scheme was launched. The Centre aims to achieve 100% coverage by 2024. 100 % coverage indicates that a fully functional tap water connection should be available in every household.
How a Doulton Water Filter Helps
If you received municipal/corporation water at home and the TDS and hardness of your water is low, then Doulton Water Filters are a perfect choice. They are efficient in reducing bacteria and other commonly occuring contaminants in water. They are easy on the pocket, and needs no maintainance. Hence, they are an affordable and convenient solution for households concerned about the impact of unfiltered tap water and it’s impact on one’s health.
