06 Aug / By Admin
As the world’s largest user of groundwater, India faces a variety of issues ranging from contamination to depleting groundwater levels.
In rural areas, it is responsible for the majority of the drinking water. Meanwhile, for the nation’s agriculture - it is absolutely vital.
We’ll look at the challenges faced first, then what can be done to treat these groundwater issues in terms of both ion exchange resins and what the country has done to help.
The sheer amount of water that’s being pumped out is too much compared to its recharge (through natural monsoon).
The recharge has ability has been impacted by a series of factors such as the increase in temperatures and a delay in the start of the monsoon.
Punjab is notorious for having one of the most depleted groundwater areas in India, according to an article addressing the countries groundwater depletion (ScienceDirect).
This usage is almost all agricultural with farming accounting for over 80% of the groundwater extracted. It isn’t a sustainable practice, particularly in Punjab. The demand has gone up because of the countries rising population which, at the time of writing, now sits at a whopping 1.48 billion people.
It isn’t just the water depletion levels though. Another issue is the contamination…
Throughout India, there have been contamination of the groundwater from a variety of contaminants ranging from biological, chemical and radioactive.
If we look at nitrate, we know there is an increased risk of both thyroid issues, gastrointestinal cancers – particularly for the younger population. (Children below the age of 6 are the most at risk in regards to high nitrate levels in their water.)
An ideal solution to combat these nitrates contaminants is the use of ion exchange resin SBG1-HP. Manufactured by ResinTech, it is very effective in removing nitrate, arsenate, uranium and more.
It’s important to note that this resin has Gold Seal certification, meaning it is suitable for potable water applications. Other key benefits for this specific resin is that it boasts a high operating capacity and is also kosher certified.
As the country continues to expand with more buildings and concrete, the rainfall that would otherwise get soaked up by soil and absorbed into the earth is being rerouted. It should go down into the earth and go towards filling up aquifers (the underground water), but now this rainfall ends up as dirty floodwater that goes into drains ends up out of the cities.
Now this concrete is becoming a physical obstacle for the water to be put back into the ground, yet the pumping of water carries on.
A solution that is being implemented is the use of porous pavement which combat this by letting water go through them and back down into the earth. This is great for recharge and goes towards replenishing these aquifers. We’re seeing this solution being used mainly in the urban areas. Cities like Mumbai and within university campuses for example.
A good choice for combating the water hardness (calcium and magnesium) is ResinTech CGS.
You would find these ions particularly in hard well water so for the purpose of water softening, it’s worth considering this resin. It’s certified by the WQA (Water Quality Association) for potable water use.
CGS resin can also be used to get rid of small amounts of dissolved ferrous iron. This is important when it comes to staining on toilet bowls and sinks for example.
Beyond all of these solutions, it’s vital that groundwater management is taken seriously by India as the reliance on it is more than anywhere else in the world – even more than China and the USA. Groundwater in India has a huge reliance, with hundreds of millions of people rely on it for their every day water use.
A combination of ground water depletion and a surging population growth has called for India to step up its efforts in Groundwater Management... However, there is hope for the future. The masterplan for artificial recharge will surely go a long way in restoring the aquifers depletion and ensure the country’s groundwater supply is more stabilised, and not falling mercy to being over-exploited. Though a costly plan, it is very much needed to ensure India can effectively manage its underground water.
How many people in India rely on groundwater everyday?
Latest figures reveal around 600-700 million Indians rely on this every day
What is the main groundwater issue in India?
Overexploitation – it isn’t sustainable.
What does recharge mean within groundwater?
This is the process of refilling the aquifers, so the underground water gets refilled (via rainfall)
Can ion exchange resin be used to treat groundwater issues?
Yes, there are certain resins that can treat issues such as nitrates found in groundwater.
What places in India are facing severe groundwater issues?
Major cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi are just few that are over extracting groundwater at an alarming rate.
