Srinagar, Nov 05: To ensure quality water supply, Jal Shakti
Department under the aegis of Jal Jeevan Mission has set up 97 water
testing laboratories across J&K.
Jal Jeevan Mission not only ensures regular tap water supply but also
stresses water quality. Water testing is important for monitoring the
operation of water supply, verification of the safety of drinking
water, investigation of disease outbreaks, validation process and
preventive measures.
Water quality testing tools would be used for measuring the purity of
drinking water: at the source; within a piped distribution system; or
at the end of the supply. Drinking water quality monitoring and water
quality surveillance are distinct yet closely related activities. The
drinking water quality will be monitored by the supplier/ agency
responsible for water quality whereas the surveillance of water
quality at the grassroots will be the responsibility of the GPs/ rural
community.
Under JJM, upto 2% of total fund allocation is to be used on water
quality monitoring & surveillance activities which primarily comprise
water quality monitoring by the Department through laboratory testing
and water quality surveillance by the community through testing local
water sources using Field Test Kits (FTKs). All drinking water sources
are to be tested once a year for chemical contamination and twice a
year for bacteriological parameters.
To empower the local community on water quality surveillance in J&K,
Jal Shakti Department has embarked on a mission to identify and train
5 persons, especially women in each village from the local community,
viz. ASHA workers, health workers, VWSC/ Pani Samiti members,
teachers, SHG members, etc., to conduct water quality tests using
FTKs/ bacteriological vials at the village level, schools and
Anganwadi centres.
According to a JJM Official, the laboratories at Sub-divisional/ block
lab will test 100% water sources under its jurisdiction; once for
chemical parameters and twice for bacteriological parameters (pre and
post-monsoon) in a year, covering all sources of a block at least for
13 basic water quality parameters. The positively tested samples will
be referred to the district laboratory immediately.
Similarly, he informed that district labs will test 250 water sources/
samples per month (i.e. 3,000 in a year as per the target of roster
available on Department/ National Mission IMIS) covering all sources
randomly spread geographically including the positively tested samples
referred by the subdivision/ block laboratory/ mobile laboratory on at
least for 13 basic water quality parameters. The district lab will
also refer the positively tested samples to the State laboratory
immediately, he said, “The other parameters may be tested as per local
contamination at the district level.”
