Hyderabad: Telangana is facing severe water quality issues, which is reflected in its second rank nationally in fluoride concentration in groundwater, with the levels surpassing 1.5 mg/l beyond the permissible limits prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
According to recent findings from the annual groundwater quality report 2024, while Rajasthan tops the list with 31 districts showing high fluoride content, Telangana follows with 28 districts, including the erstwhile Nalgonda, Rangareddy, and Adilabad.
The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) analysis of 1,150 groundwater samples in Telangana indicated that 14.8% contained fluoride beyond permissible threshold, as shown by data presented in Rajya Sabha by Raj Bhushan Choudhary, minister of state for jal shakti.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says excessive fluoride intake usually occurs through consumption of groundwater, and such exposure may lead to dental fluorosis or crippling skeletal fluorosis.
That’s not all. The state also ranks third in nitrate concentration, exceeding the prescribed limits of 45 mg/l. Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh took the first and second spots, respectively. Surprisingly, 32 of the 33 districtshave exhibited nitrate compounds beyond 45 mg per litre.
Meanwhile, water samples of states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Jammu and Kashmir had met 100% of BIS standards. In contrast, states like Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Haryana showed contamination. These findings were based on various water quality parameters such as electrical conductivity (EC), fluoride, arsenic, heavy metals, and nitrate in groundwater used for drinking and agriculture purposes. However, Telangana has a negligible presence of arsenic and uranium in groundwater.
Experts say that in Telangana, groundwater contamination by fluoride stems primarily from natural geological formations, including rocks and minerals. In contrast, nitrate contamination occurs due to the widespread application of fertilizers in farming practices.
“When farmers apply nitrogen-based fertilizers, crops fail to utilise all nutrients. The surplus fertilizer seeps through soil layers, contaminating groundwater resources. Consumption of such water can lead to Blue Baby Syndrome,” said B Venkateshwara Rao, a retired JNTUH professor and expert in water resources. Ch Lakshmana Rao, another expert, pointed out that in the absence of monitoring, untreated industrial waste flows directly into drainage networks, bypassing designated containment wells and affecting the groundwater table.
According to recent findings from the annual groundwater quality report 2024, while Rajasthan tops the list with 31 districts showing high fluoride content, Telangana follows with 28 districts, including the erstwhile Nalgonda, Rangareddy, and Adilabad.
The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) analysis of 1,150 groundwater samples in Telangana indicated that 14.8% contained fluoride beyond permissible threshold, as shown by data presented in Rajya Sabha by Raj Bhushan Choudhary, minister of state for jal shakti.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says excessive fluoride intake usually occurs through consumption of groundwater, and such exposure may lead to dental fluorosis or crippling skeletal fluorosis.
That’s not all. The state also ranks third in nitrate concentration, exceeding the prescribed limits of 45 mg/l. Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh took the first and second spots, respectively. Surprisingly, 32 of the 33 districtshave exhibited nitrate compounds beyond 45 mg per litre.
Meanwhile, water samples of states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Jammu and Kashmir had met 100% of BIS standards. In contrast, states like Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Haryana showed contamination. These findings were based on various water quality parameters such as electrical conductivity (EC), fluoride, arsenic, heavy metals, and nitrate in groundwater used for drinking and agriculture purposes. However, Telangana has a negligible presence of arsenic and uranium in groundwater.
Experts say that in Telangana, groundwater contamination by fluoride stems primarily from natural geological formations, including rocks and minerals. In contrast, nitrate contamination occurs due to the widespread application of fertilizers in farming practices.
“When farmers apply nitrogen-based fertilizers, crops fail to utilise all nutrients. The surplus fertilizer seeps through soil layers, contaminating groundwater resources. Consumption of such water can lead to Blue Baby Syndrome,” said B Venkateshwara Rao, a retired JNTUH professor and expert in water resources. Ch Lakshmana Rao, another expert, pointed out that in the absence of monitoring, untreated industrial waste flows directly into drainage networks, bypassing designated containment wells and affecting the groundwater table.
