Jal Jeevan Mission starts to monitor tap water supply

Source: Business Standard

What is the News?

Jal Jeevan Mission has launched into its next phase of measuring and monitoring water supply.

Click here to read about Jal Jeevan Mission

Achievements of the mission:

1. In 2019, 7% of the rural households had tap water connections, which is increased to 41% in the last two years. 
2. Goa, Telangana, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Puducherry are among states that claim to have achieved 100% tap connections in rural areas.

Features of Next Phase of Jal Jeevan Mission:

1. Sensor-Based Systems: The mission is expanding the coverage of its sensor-based systems to 100 villages across nine states. This would help in understanding water consumption patterns and also devise the pricing strategy at a later stage. 
2. Training of Women: Jal Shakti Ministry is training five women in each village to test water quality and upload the data online. The test is done through a simple and easy-to-use kit, and it provides indicative results. If there is an indication of contamination, then the team of women can flag it and the government would look further into the matter.  
3. Smart Water Supply Measurement: Government has shortlisted four start-ups for developing the smart water supply measurement and monitoring system. The start-ups took part in a grand challenge organised by ministries of Jal Shakti and electronics and information technology 
4. Contamination of Water: In order to address fluoride and arsenic contamination of water in some states, including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, the Jal Shakti Ministry has asked the state governments to instal community water purification systems. All States are expected to have these plants by December 2021.