Nitrate in the water
Context
The article discusses the deteriorating condition of India’s groundwater, especially with nitrates, posing serious health and environmental risks.
Relevance:
GS-03 (Conservation)
Dimensions of the Article
- Issue with Nitrate in Water
- About Nitrate
- Harmful Effects of Nitrate Contamination
- About CGWB
Issue with Nitrate in Water
- The recently released annual report by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) reveals that nitrate levels are increasing across India, contaminating the groundwater.
- Over 440 districts out of the total 779 in the country show exceeding levels of nitrate concentration beyond the safe limit of 45 mg/L.
- States like Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu reported the highest contamination, with 49%, 48%, and 37%, respectively.
- Moreover, the central and southern regions of the country are seeing a worrisome rise in nitrate levels due to geological and agricultural factors.
About Nitrate:
- Nitrate is available naturally and also has many human-made sources.
- Naturally, it is a compound of nitrogen and oxygen that is found in groundwater and surface water.
- Nitrate concentration is often seen more in areas where fertilisers are used.
- Formation: It occurs when plant matter decays in soil, and rainfall washes it into bodies of water.
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers drinking water with nitrate concentrations below 10 milligrams per litre (mg/L) to be safe.
Harmful Effects of Nitrate Contamination
- Health Risks: High nitrate levels cause methemoglobinemia, or ‘Blue Baby Syndrome,’ which reduces oxygen-carrying capacity in infants’ blood.
- Environmental Impact: When nitrates from groundwater seep into surface water bodies like lakes and ponds, they trigger algal blooms. These blooms deplete oxygen in water, suffocating aquatic life and disrupting ecosystems.
- Additional contaminants, such as fluoride and uranium, further degrade groundwater quality, particularly in Rajasthan, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.
About CGWB:
- It is an agency of the Government of India that is responsible for the scientific management of groundwater resources.
- The CGWB’s responsibilities include exploration, monitoring, assessment, augmentation, and regulation.
- The CGWB’s subject domains include:
- Ground water recharge
- Ground water quality
- Impact of climate change on ground water
- Ground water-surface water interrelation
- Ground water management
- GIS & Remote sensing
- Geophysical Investigation
- Mathematical/Simulation modelling
- It has 18 Regional Offices, 11 State Unit Offices, and 17 Divisional Offices.
Way Forward
- Sustainable and Organic Farming: Promote sustainable farming to reduce the use of chemical fertilisers.
- Awareness: Initiatives at the national and state levels should be taken to educate farmers to shift towards organic farming and to reduce the use of chemical fertilisers.
- Regulate Groundwater Extraction: Over-extraction of groundwater is another evil practice that must be curtailed. The government should bring more restrictions on the use of groundwater, and actions should be taken to replenish groundwater levels.
- Invest in Technology: Advanced water treatment methods and real-time monitoring systems can help contain contamination.
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