The problem of fluoride and solution
In Andhra Pradesh out of 72,860, habitations 4050 habitations do not have protected drinking water supply. Out of them more than 75% habitations i.e., 3072 have fluoride problem. In Andhra Pradesh, all districts have an excess of fluoride in their groundwater. Nearly, 60% of fluoride –affected areas are in Anantapur, Nalgonda, Karimnagar and Prakasham districts here 3to 20 ppm of fluoride has been fund in water. In 3072 habitations, the water is contaminated with fluorides. About one crore and 35 Lakh people face the risk fluorosis. As water in the aquifer is reduced and the water table recedes, fluoride content in the groundwater gets concentrated.
According to the world health organization standards, we can consume water consisting of only one part per million [ppm] of fluoride. If it is 1.5 pm, our teeth are damaged. The color of teeth changes with excess fluoride and they become coarse and rough. This is called dental fluorosis. Children are the ones most affected by it.
The skeletal system is also affected leading to skeletal fluorosis. Fluorosis cause weakening of the bones and the body structure gets deformed. Fluorosis affects people in about twenty states in our country.
In the Revari village of Haryana, it has been calculated that the water there has 48ppm of fluoride. This fluoride enters wheat, milk, meat and tea. About 6.5 crore people in India run the risk of fluoride-related diseases. Many wells and bore wells in our state are drying up due to the receding water table and lack of people’s participation in their maintenance.
Solution of fluoride problem
There are three ways to prevent fluorosis. First, we should use water only from lakes, rivers and other surface sources instead of using ground water in the affected areas. The second alternative is to mix alum and limestone which makes the heavy materials sink to the bottom, making the water safe for consumption. The third way is to eat calcium-rich foods like prawns and fish that control fluorosis to some extent. To prevent fluorosis, water must be tested continuously and public be informed about it.
Other types of water pollution
In our state, a survey states that latrines are in use among 35% of the people in rural areas. Where private toilets are available, 41% of the members of the families are using them. In 26% families, only some members of the family utilize the toilets. Even now about 655 of the people use the open space as a toilet. If village health toilets will our lakes remain unpolluted. Due to lake of public participation in rural areas, maintenance of latrines has become difficult and they are falling into disuse.
Sea water has polluted water supply in 1973 habitations. In five habitations, iron contaminates water. However much we try, in every summer season, 7% to 8% of our lakes and 8% to 10% of our bore wells are running dry. Not even 5% of the residents get good water from them.
According to the 2001 census, about 40% of the villagers are able to get water from taps. Nearly 30% of the villages use the hand pumps and 19% of the people depend on wells. Almost 11% of the villagers use water from tu8be wells. Every year, 10 to 12% offhand pumps go dry in summer, forcing people to rely on tankers.
At least 22% of the villagers walk miles to get drinking water, only to find at this journey that water quality is bad. Half of them complain that the water is of a poor quality and 23% say the smell and color of the water is bad.
Supply and use of bacteria contaminated water for drinking is also a big problem not only in Andhra Pradesh but all over the country. To know the quality of water, each habitation needs to test the quality of water regularly. After finding out the quality problem, remedial measures have to be taken immediately. To address this problem, public health authorities mix chlorine in the tanks which supply protected drinking water. They see to it that there is specified level of residual chlorine available in water.
The village administration has chronoscopes for testing and ensuring that residual chlorine is available in the water, but these devices are not being consistently utilized. The additional of chlorine to the contaminated water as per the stipulation of public health authorities is not being done. Thus in many places, the supplied drinking water has microorganisms. There is a need to create public awareness on this aspect.
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