Water pollution in India – Current scenario

Expanding populations, intensive agriculture, climate change, water pollution and depleting natural water resources are the main drivers of water scarcity in India. Improvisations in wastewater treatment processes for the degradation of pollutants by cost-effective means are critical to ensure safe wastewater discharge and its reuse. While advancements in technology and science have provided alternatives to the traditional activated sludge process; owing to lack of infrastructure, funding and awareness; the majority of wastewaters being discharged remain untreated. Depletion of groundwater and its pollution threatens human well-being, food production, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem balance and climate change. Previous urban planning programs such as Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission laid the foundation for today’s water infrastructure and policies for water management. Dedicated ministries and programs execute wastewater treatment and discharge, river and lake rejuvenation, groundwater management and wastewater reuse. This review highlights the existing scenario of wastewater treatment with respect to its discharge and reuse in India. Technocratic involvement of limited stakeholders in the management of the multifaceted issue of water management will further require collaborations and collective action with public and private partners for a robust ecosystem and climate-resistant water management. Key considerations in wastewater treatment, groundwater management, existing knowledge gaps, and policies for water management in India are discussed.