SAFE AND REGULAR WATER SUPPLY UNDER JAL JEEVAN MISSION

SAFE AND REGULAR WATER SUPPLY UNDER JAL JEEVAN MISSION

To enable every rural household in the country to have assured potable water, in adequate quantity of prescribed quality on regular and long-term basis, through tap water connection, since August 2019, Government of India in partnership with states, is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal.

At the start of the Mission, only 3.23 Crore (16.7%) rural households were reported to have tap water connections. So far, as reported by States/ UTs as on 03.03.2026, under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal more than 12.58 Crore additional rural households have been provided with tap water connections. Thus, as on 03.03.2026, out of around 19.36 Crore rural households in the country, around 15.82 Crore (81.71%) households are reported to have tap water supply in their homes and works for the remaining 3.54 Crore households are at various stages of implementation in respective States. State/ UT-wise status of tap water supply across the country as on 03.03.2026 is annexed.

Under JJM, as per existing guidelines, Bureau of Indian Standards’ BIS: 10500 standards are adopted as benchmark for quality of water being supplied through the piped water supply schemes. As per the Operational Guidelines, States/ UTs can utilize up to 2% of their annual allocation of funds under JJM for Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance (WQM&S) activities, inter-alia, which includes setting up and strengthening of water quality testing laboratories, procurement of equipment, instruments, chemicals, glassware, consumables, hiring of skilled manpower, surveillance by community using field test kits (FTKs), awareness generation, educational programmes on water quality, accreditation/recognition of laboratories, etc.

In consultation with various stakeholders ‘Concise Handbook for Monitoring Water Quality of Piped Drinking Water Supply to Rural Households’ has been released in December 2024 for guidance to States/ UT’s. This handbook recommended for a comprehensive testing of drinking water samples at various testing points such as source (both surface and ground water), treatment plant, storage and distribution points, and remedial action wherever necessary, to ensure that the water supplied to households is of prescribed quality.

Further, under JJM, the Department undertakes assessment of the functionality of household tap water connections provided under the Mission, through an independent third-party agency, selected based on standard statistical sampling. During the Functionality Assessment, 2024, it was found that 98.1% of households in surveyed villages had tap connections; 87% of households with tap connections reported receiving water in the past week, indicating overall progress; 84% households receive water as per schedule; 80% households found receiving the minimum 55 LPCD water; 76% households found free from bacteriological contamination and 81% households of the supply source found free from chemical contamination and considering the parameters of quantity, quality and regularity, 76% of household tap connections were found to be functional.

The information was provided by THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI SHRI V. SOMANNA in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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