Indian rivers suffer from untreated sewage dumping - Why and what needs to be done!

1. India Water Woes
 Indian rivers like Ganga and Yamuna polluted enough
to be called drains
 In some places like Varanasi, Ganga has human fecal
bacteria upto 100,000 parts per ml
 The water is unfit for bathing, leave alone drinking
 Millions of people along the banks suffer from regular
outbreaks of cholera, dysentery, typhoid etc.

2. The Water - Sewage Connection
 Indian cities produce 40,000 million liters of Sewage
everyday
 But only 20% of this sewage is “treated” at all
 A massive 80% untreated sewage is either dumped
into rivers (as it is ) or seeps into the ground
contaminating ground water
 That is a crisis as people “drink” this water!

3. What is the problem?
 Out of 3119 cities/ towns, only 209 have partial sewage
treatment facilities.
 Most cities dump their effluents directly into water
bodies
 Do we need to set up more Sewage Treatment Plants
(STPs)?
 Yes and No
 Surprising fact – in most cities like Delhi the existing
plants remain underutilized!!
 Why should that be?

4. Crux of the Problem
 Most cities lack a drainage network, in the first place,
so there is no way to direct sewage to the STPs
 Over 50% of the populace esp. poorer sections use
open areas or make shift toilets
 Most sewage either seeps into the ground, goes into
stagnant water bodies, or flows into storm water
drains which make their way into rivers or lakes
 Hardly 4 cities in the whole country have a closed
drain network

5. No Drains
 Most cities lack a drainage network – as is well known
 So how will the sewage even be taken to an STP – if
hypothetically it is even set up?
 First demand – Set up a drainage system in all cities
and towns
 Recognize drainage and sanitation is a basic human
right
 Can it become an election manifesto? At least, it
should be.

6. Coming to the STPs
 Existing STPs inefficient in water treatment – need
better facilities & monitoring
 Most of them are also underutilized because there are
no drains to carry sewage to them
 Effluents from these plants should not be dumped
into rivers again
 Demand – STP should recycle the water back into the
cities for non drinking purposes – like in construction,
gardening etc.
 Sewage can also be used to generate Energy

7. Know More (suggested reading)
 Excreta’s Economy, a true Experience - Sunita Narain
http://www.cseindia.org/node/707
 From water to Water – Sunita Narain
http://www.cseindia.org/node/638
 80% of Indian sewage flows untreated into water
systems
http://www.catholic.org/international/international_s
tory.php?id=50014
 Status of Sewage Treatment Plants in Delhi
http://www.sulabhenvis.nic.in/Database/STST_status
ofsewageindelhi_2091.aspx

8. Yamuna River…
Change is possible..
It has begun with your taking interest!
Courtesy David Stewart : Is it nothing to you, all that ye pass by. (Lam 1.12)

9. Jal Tarang India
 May the joy of pure and safe water reach every Indian
 Be informed and raise awareness!!
 https://www.facebook.com/JalTarangIndia