Revised guidelines of National Water Quality Sub-Mission- 2017

About Dataset

Revised Guidelines of National Water Quality Sub-Mission is an operational framework issued by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation for addressing arsenic- and fluoride-affected rural habitations. The document identifies these contaminants as serious public-health concerns and establishes a focused programme for providing safe drinking water to affected communities. The table on page 2 presents State-wise information on arsenic- and fluoride-affected habitations and populations based on IMIS data as of 18 August 2016. The guidelines prescribe a three-phase approach: diagnosis of affected habitations, implementation of area-specific schemes, and sustained monitoring and surveillance. They provide for three broad intervention options: surface-water-based piped water-supply schemes, safe groundwater-based piped water-supply schemes, and groundwater treatment technology/community water purification plants (CWPPs). The programme requires States to identify, geo-tag, and select sustainable water sources; conduct water-quality testing as per the Uniform Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Protocol; prepare detailed project reports; and upload scheme information on the National Water Quality Sub-Mission portal. The document lays down technical and institutional requirements for scheme approval, funding, execution, monitoring, and long-term operation and maintenance. For CWPPs, it recommends adequate treatment capacity, transparent selection of private operators where applicable, ten-year O&M responsibility, water-conservation measures, and possible SCADA, flow-meter, and energy-efficiency provisions. It also defines roles for State Level Scheme Sanctioning Committees, the Apex Committee, State Governments, the National Programme Monitoring Unit, Gram Panchayats, and implementing agencies. Pages 8–10 set out the Apex Committee composition, digital monitoring requirements, geo-tagging, project planning responsibilities, and appraisal process.