Indo - Global: Arsenic mitigation & technology dissemination in A...

2011-08-01T22:54:00.000-07:00

Indo - Global: Arsenic mitigation & technology dissemination in A...: "Arsenic in ground water is becoming an emerging issue in the water supply and health sectors of our Country. Rural areas in East and North E..."

Arsenic mitigation & technology dissemination in Assam

2011-08-01T22:53:00.000-07:00

Arsenic in ground water is becoming an emerging issue in the water supply and health sectors of our Country. Rural areas in East and North Eastern States are dependent on ground water for drinking water consumption. The ground water from handpumps, shallow tube wells and ring wells contain arsenic at concentrations higher than the safe limit set for drinking purpose by WHO 1993. Arsenic contamination in the ground and surface water occurs in West Bengal and in the North Eastern states of Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh. In India after West Bengal and the bordering districts of Bangladesh, arsenic in groundwater was detected in part of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura. (Arsenic Contamination in Groundwater of North Eastern India by A.K. Singh, Associate Professor and Adviser (Soil & Water Testing Lab & Microbiology Lab) North Eastern Regional Institute of Water and Land Management)

It may be noted that concentration of arsenic in groundwater exceeds the permissible level (50 mg/l based on water consumption of 2 litre per day, WHO) in parts of Assam (20 districts out of 24 districts tested) Tripura (3 districts out of 4 districts), Arunachal Pradesh (6 districts out of 13 districts), Nagaland (2 districts out of 8 districts) and Manipur (1 district out of 9 districts). IGSSS has recently successfully completed a pilot project in Assam (North Lakhimpur) to reduce the arsenic contamination and to monitor the potable quality of water in 60 arsenic affected villages.

IGSSS initiative in Mitigation of arsenic and other contaminants:

To address the arsenic and iron contamination IGSSS has taken initiatives such as advocacy at community, PRI and district level, provision of technical support in low cost affordable household level arsenic filter “KanchanTM Arsenic Filter (KAF)” and community capacity building on Water Quality Monitoring and Management through a field unit at Lakhimpur, Assam. IGSSS’s Disaster Risk Reduction team is trained and certified by Environment and Public Health organization (ENPHO) Nepal on promotion and construction of Kanchan Arsenic Filters.

With sensitive support of Welthungerhilfe (WHH) and DanChurchAid, IGSSS is promoting and demonstration KAF and Bio-sand filters in 60 villages of Lakhimpur and Dhemaji district of Assam. This technology has been appreciated by targeted users, local administration, Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) and also by NGOs and INGOs such as Catholic Relief Services/NE Office, DanChurchAid South Asia office, Oxfam India etc.

Awareness cum demonstration of the KAF has been given to Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) and Panchyat member of two districts of Lakhimpur and Dhemaji. Technology is appreciated by the PHED they expressed however there is no effort taken up by government for filtering arsenic contaminated water in Assam.

Effectiveness of Kanchan Arsenic filters:

The Kanchan Arsenic Filter (KAF) is an innovative household level filter for removing arsenic, pathogens, iron, turbidity and odour from drinking water. KAF was developed jointly by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) and Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Support Programme (RWSSSP), based on slow sand filtration and iron hydroxide adsorption principles.

Cost effectiveness of the technology:

IGSSS have trained volunteers in project area for construction of KAF and Bio-sand filter they are constructing filter in the target villages. Through our experience it is realized that the KAF filter is highly cost effective costing around Rs.1,200.00 per unit that give 20 ltrs drinking water per hour for household use. The technology is simple that KAF and Bio-sand filter can be constructed by local mason with proper training and monitoring.

Understanding the situation of arsenic contamination in Assam there is an urgent requirement to create awareness among the vulnerable community on the adverse impact of consuming arsenic contaminated water. IGSSS continues to advocate and promote mitigation measure for arsenic contaminated water through Arsenic filter (KAF) that is cost effective and simple technology that can be constructed by local masons. This technology can be transferred to all arsenic affected districts where community are exposed and consuming Arsenic contaminated water in the State. Advocacy with the government and to civil society organizations through the Inter-Agency Group Assam (IAG) for use of technology is also taken up as a result the popularity is gaining momentum and we are able to reach out to larger group of vulnerable community.