Groundwater quality in most parts of India is good but Rajasthan, Haryana and AP face widespread contamin – Times of India

Report on Groundwater Quality in India and Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Overall Assessment and Alignment with SDG 6

A 2025 report from the Central Ground Water Board, based on an analysis of 14,978 samples from 2024, indicates a varied status of groundwater quality across India. This data is critical for evaluating progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). While a significant portion of the nation’s groundwater is rated “good to excellent,” substantial challenges persist, directly impacting the target of ensuring universal access to safe and affordable drinking water.

• Approximately 71.7% of collected samples comply with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for permissible drinking water limits.
• The remaining 28.3% of samples exceed the permissible limit for one or more parameters, highlighting localised quality concerns that hinder the achievement of SDG 6.
• States and Union Territories such as Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Jammu & Kashmir demonstrate 100% compliance, representing positive progress towards SDG 6 targets.
• Conversely, widespread contamination in Rajasthan, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh signifies a critical barrier to achieving equitable access to clean water.

Key Contaminants and Health Implications (SDG 3)

The presence of specific contaminants in groundwater poses a direct threat to Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by increasing the risk of water-borne diseases and chemical-related illnesses. The report identifies several contaminants of critical concern.

Chemical Contaminants

• Nitrate: Exceeding permissible limits in 20.7% of samples. High nitrate levels are a significant health risk, particularly for infants.
• Fluoride: Found in levels above the limit in 8.05% of samples. Excessive fluoride intake can lead to severe skeletal and dental problems.
• Salinity (Electrical Conductivity): An indicator of total dissolved solids, found in 7.23% of samples. This is particularly acute in arid regions of Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, and Gujarat, compromising water potability.

Trace Metal Contamination

Toxic metal contamination directly undermines human health and environmental safety, creating severe obstacles for SDG 3. The report highlights the following:

1. Iron: The most common parameter exceeding BIS limits, found in 11.71% of samples.
2. Manganese: Exceeding limits in 10.94% of samples. Both iron and manganese pose health risks, especially to children.
3. Uranium: Detected at moderate levels, with 5.34% of samples showing exceedances. This contamination is a grave concern for public health. Regional distribution of non-compliant samples includes:
   • Punjab: 53% (pre-monsoon) and 62% (post-monsoon)
   • Haryana: 15%–23%
   • Delhi: 13%–15%
   • Karnataka: 6%–8%
   • Uttar Pradesh: 5%–6%
4. Arsenic: A major concern in the Ganga and Brahmaputra river basins, with 3.45% of samples showing exceedances. Arsenic is highly toxic and carcinogenic.
5. Lead and Zinc: Found to be within permissible limits in most locations, with exceedances of 0.93% and 0.16% respectively.

Agricultural and Food Security Concerns (SDG 2)

Groundwater contamination has profound implications for Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger). The accumulation of heavy metals in water can transfer to soils and crops, thereby impacting agricultural productivity and food safety. This compromises efforts to ensure sustainable food production systems and access to safe, nutritious food for all.

Causal Factors and Links to SDG 11 and SDG 12

The decline in groundwater quality is attributed to several anthropogenic factors that are directly related to unsustainable practices, challenging the objectives of SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

• Industrial and Urban Pollution: Discharge of untreated industrial waste and sewage leakage in urban areas contribute significantly to contamination, working against the targets of SDG 11 to manage urban waste effectively.
• Unsustainable Agricultural Practices: The excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides is a key source of nitrate and other chemical pollutants, highlighting a need for more responsible production patterns as outlined in SDG 12.
• Improper Waste Management: Inadequate disposal of waste contributes to the leaching of contaminants into groundwater sources, reflecting challenges in achieving the environmentally sound management of waste under SDG 12.
• Over-extraction: The excessive withdrawal of groundwater can exacerbate contamination issues.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

  This is the most central SDG addressed. The article revolves around the quality of groundwater, which is a primary source of drinking water. It discusses contamination levels, compliance with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for drinking water, and the overall potability of water sources across India.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article directly links groundwater contamination to human health risks. It explicitly states that toxic metals like arsenic, lead, and uranium can cause “severe neurological, skeletal, kidney, and cancer-related problems,” and that elevated iron and manganese levels pose risks to infants and children.

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  The article connects water quality to food security by noting that contamination can “lead to the accumulation of metals in soils and crops, thereby impacting agriculture and food security.” This highlights the dependency of sustainable agriculture on clean water resources.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  The article identifies key sources of pollution contributing to the decline in groundwater quality, including “discharge of untreated industrial waste,” “excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides,” and “improper waste disposal.” These issues are directly related to unsustainable production and consumption patterns and waste management, which are core to SDG 12.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Under SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
  • Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all. The article’s focus on whether groundwater samples meet BIS permissible limits for drinking water directly relates to this target. The finding that 28.3% of samples exceed these limits indicates a gap in achieving safe drinking water access.
  • Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials. The article identifies sources of pollution such as “untreated industrial waste,” “sewage leakage,” and agricultural runoff from “fertilisers and pesticides,” which are all factors that this target aims to address.
• Under SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
  • Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination. The article’s explicit mention of health problems (neurological, skeletal, kidney, cancer) caused by contaminants like arsenic, lead, and uranium directly aligns with the goal of reducing illnesses from water pollution.
• Under SDG 2: Zero Hunger
  • Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices… that progressively improve land and soil quality. The article’s warning that metal contamination impacts “agriculture and food security” by accumulating in soils and crops is directly relevant to ensuring the sustainability and safety of food production systems.
• Under SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
  • Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes… and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment. The identification of “untreated industrial waste” and “improper waste disposal” as key factors in groundwater quality decline points directly to this target’s focus on waste management.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Proportion of water samples compliant with drinking water standards: The article states that “71.7% of samples comply with BIS permissible limits for drinking water.” This serves as a direct indicator for Target 6.1, measuring the safety of water bodies.
• Concentration of specific pollutants in groundwater: The article provides specific percentages of samples exceeding permissible limits for various contaminants. These are direct indicators for Target 6.3 (improving water quality).
  • Nitrate: 20.7% of samples exceeded the limit.
  • Fluoride: 8.05% of samples exceeded the limit.
  • Iron: 11.71% of samples exceeded the limit.
  • Manganese: 10.94% of samples exceeded the limit.
  • Uranium: 5.34% of samples exceeded the limit (with specific data for Punjab at 53-62%).
  • Arsenic: 3.45% of samples exceeded the limit.
  • Lead: 0.93% of samples exceeded the limit.
• Presence of toxic metals linked to health issues: The concentrations of arsenic, lead, and uranium are mentioned. These serve as implied indicators for Target 3.9, as their levels in drinking water are a proxy for the risk of water-borne illnesses and deaths from chemical contamination.
• Accumulation of metals in soil and crops: The article implies this as a consequence of contaminated groundwater. This can be used as an implied indicator for Target 2.4, measuring the impact of water quality on agricultural land and food safety.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com