In a major move to ensure provision of safe and pure drinking water for all, the Uttar Pradesh government has launched a massive campaign as part of the ambitious Jal Jeevan Mission under which about 6 lakh rural women are conducting door-to-door surveillance of water quality surveillance across the state. The campaign is also aimed at providing employment opportunities to rural women and making them self-reliant.

“Touted as one of the largest water quality testing campaigns, it is aimed at providing pure drinking water to rural households on the one hand and protecting people from water-borne diseases on the other,” Jal Shakti Minister Swatara Dev Singh said here on Saturday.

He said the government has already provided field test kits to these women while training of more than 1 lakh women has been completed across the state, including Bundelkhand and Purvanchal among others, to run the campaign successfully. The trained women have tested over 70,000 water samples in the villages so far and sent the same to Jal Nigam.

It is noteworthy that this is the first time such a large number of rural women are being trained to fight water-borne diseases in UP.  

“Apart from giving better health to villagers, this scheme of Jal Jeevan Mission has also opened new avenues of employment for rural women in UP,” he said, adding that women are being paid Rs 20 per test and the government has set the target to train five women from each revenue village.

About 12 types of water quality tests can be done with the help of a field test kit. These kits can be used to test the water from taps, wells and handpumps. In case of excess harmful elements like fluoride and arsenic in the drinking water, the Jal Nigam will shut down the water source until the problem is resolved.

“Five women are being selected by the development block-level committee in each revenue village of the state.  The committee members include  the development block officer, executive engineer, assistant engineer and junior engineer. Consent of women is important during selection,” the minister said.

The training of most of the women has been completed in the revenue villages of Shahjahanpur, Bijnor, Firozabad, Pilibhit, Budaun, Bareilly, Moradabad, Bulandshahr, Ambedkar Nagar and Sambhal. Apart from ensuring adequate supply of safe drinking water in rural areas to protect people’s health, efforts are also being made under the Jal Jeevan Mission to create employment on a massive scale. Meanwhile, training of women is underway in other districts of the state.

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DENVER (KDVR) – Two locally-based nonprofits are preparing for a return to the war-torn areas of Ukraine where they plan to provide civilians with access to clean drinking water.

“Their persistent request was when you get back, please tell people our story,” founder of Seeds of Exchange Sarah Davison-Tracey said about the Ukrainians they met. “Tell people how they can help. Don’t let the world forget us.”

Seeds of Exchange and Water for All have been teaming up to deliver portable water filters to Ukrainians.

10 years later: The community honors Aurora theater shooting victims, survivors

The president of Water for All John DeYoung said that each filter can provide clean drinking water for 10 to 20 people over the course of three years.

If you’d like to donate to help them in their mission to aid Ukrainians suffering in war-torn areas, you can do so by visiting their homepage.

There you will find the nonprofit’s fundraising goal of $60,000, which as of Saturday afternoon is 48% complete, having already received $28,828.70 in donations.

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1. Home
2. Cities
3. Ludhiana
4. Ludhiana admn launches drive to clean water tanks in govt schools

Additional deputy commissioner (rural development) said that the health department was asked to immediately inform the administration in case of any sample failing purity test so that action could be taken

Panchal also directed the water supply and sanitation department to carry out inspection in schools to check any kind of leakage in water supply lines. (Express Photo by Gurjant Pannu/Representational)

In order to ensure supply of potable and clean drinking water to the students of government schools, the Ludhiana district administration has launched a special campaign to clean water tanks in government schools of the district.

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On the directions of Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik, a three-member team comprising district education officer Jaswinder Kaur, epidemiologist Dr Ramanpreet Kaur and executive engineer (water supply and sanitation) Mandeep Singh has been constituted to ensure regular sampling of drinking water in government schools.

Additional deputy commissioner (rural development) Amit Kumar Panchal said that the drive was undertaken with active participation of school management committees, panchayats and health department.

He said that the health department was asked to immediately inform the administration in case of any sample failing purity test so that action could be taken instantly.

He asked education department officials to put the onus on principals for ensuring cleaning of water tanks in their schools on a regular basis, besides conducting random checking by DEOs in the schools.

Panchal also directed the water supply and sanitation department to carry out inspection in schools to check any kind of leakage in water supply lines. He said that safe drinking water would go a long way in preventing communicable diseases.

He said that the committee would also submit its report to the administration in this regard.

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Long Island Sound, NY — The Long Island Sound was a sea of failing grades this week, thanks in part to torrential rains.

There’s no longer any need to guess which Long Island Sound beaches have the cleanest water ahead of the weekend. Save the Sound has released its sixth weekly water quality report of the swimming season.

Save the Sound announced last month that their seasonal water quality monitoring program started and the samples are being analyzed by their team in the John and Daria Barry Foundation Water Quality Lab in their new Larchmont office. The team collects samples from 62 sites in Westchester County, Greenwich and Queens and brings them back to the lab to test for fecal indicator bacteria.

You can read more about the fecal bacteria water monitoring here.

The fecal indicator bacteria concentration in water at a beach determines whether or not the water is safe for people to swim in. High fecal bacteria counts and associated pathogens in the water can make people ill and can be associated with untreated sewage or increased amounts of polluted stormwater.

SEE ALSO: Surprises In New LI Sound Beach Grades Released By Environmental Group

2022 Westchester County WQM Results Week 5 (7/18-7/21):

• Glover Field, Mount Vernon: 10X Fail
• Upstream of Farrell and Beechwood, Mount Vernon: 10X Fail
• Outfall at Farrell and Beechwood, Mount Vernon: 10X Fail
• Pelham Lake at Wilson Wood Park, Mount Vernon: 10X Fail
• Shore Park, Pelham Manor: Fail
• Glen Island Park, New Rochelle: Pass
• Glen Island Approach, New Rochelle: 10X Fail
• Neptune Boat Club, New Rochelle: 10X Fail
• Five Islands Approach at Le Fevres Ln., New Rochelle: Fail
• Five Islands Park on Beach, New Rochelle: Fail
• Premium River at Pryer Manor Rd., New Rochelle: 10X Fail
• Larchmont Harbor at Park Ave., Larchmont: Pass
• Flint Park, Larchmont: 10X Fail
• Sheldrake Lake, New Rochelle: Fail
• Sheldrake River at Bonnie Briar Lane, Mamaroneck: Fail
• Beach Point Club, Mamaroneck Village: Fail
• Harbor Island Beach, Mamaroneck: Pass
• Shore Acres Yacht Club, Mamaroneck Village: Pass
• Mamaroneck Harbor East Basin, Mamaroneck Village: Fail
• Mamaroneck River at Phillips Park Rd., Mamaroneck Village: Fail
• Sheldrake River at Columbus Park, Mamaroneck Village: Fail
• Mamaroneck River at Station Park Rd., Mamaroneck Village: Fail
• Mamaroneck River at North Barry Ave. Ext., Mamaroneck Village: Fail
• Mamaroneck Harbor at Taylor Ln, Mamaroneck Village: Pass
• Otter Creek at S. Barry Ave. Bridge, Mamaroneck Village: 10X Fail
• Guion Creek at South Barry Ave. Bridge, Mamaroneck Village: 10X Fail
• Van Amringe Milpond, Mamaroneck Village: Pass
• Beaver Swamp Brook at Boston Post Rd., Mamaroneck Village: No Data
• Beaver Swamp Brook at Rye Neck HS, Mamaroneck Village: 10X Fail
• Mamaroneck River at Joint Water Works, Mamaroneck Village: Fail
• Mamaroneck River at Saxon Woods Park, Mamaroneck: Fail
• Mamaroneck River at Reynal Rd., White Plains: Fail
• Mamaroneck River at Saxon Woods Rd., White Plains: Fail
• Beaver Swamp Brook at Truxton St., Harrison: Fail
• Beaver Swamp Brook at Greenwood Union Cemetery, Harrison: Fail
• Rye Marshlands Conservancy, Rye: Fail
• Rye Playland Park, Rye: Pass
• Blind Brook at Disbrow Park, Rye: 10X Fail
• Playland Lake at Edith Read Natural Park, Rye: Pass
• Blind Brook, Rye Nature Center, Rye: 10X Fail
• Byram River at Columbus Park, Port Chester: 10X Fail

Additional information for each of these sites can be found here.

Save the Sound said that everyone can help reduce sewage pollution sources by conserving water which will lessen the wear-and-tear on the water infrastructure and reduce sewage overflows by lowering the volume of water in the system. The organization also recommends that homeowners repair sewer lines that connect their homes to municipal sewers or maintain their septic systems. Dog owners should put pet waste in the trash and never in a catch basin or on the street.

Communities and homeowners can create rain gardens to help reduce runoff. If you see sewage overflowing in your community, you can email a photo or video with details about the time and location to this address.

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For Jamila Bargach, fog is not just a haze that you see in the early morning.

“We have given fog another dimension than just something that delays an aeroplane. It is also and equally something that can be used to save communities from not accessing water,” she says.

She co-founded Dar Si Hmad, a foundation that focuses on sustainability, in 2010 along with Dr Aissa Derhem. The organisation focuses on the southwestern region of Morocco where they installed their flagship project – the fog collection initiative.

The area has suffered from many droughts that have deeply impacted local communities. The lack of installations to provide drinking water to homes is adding to the problem.

To address the situation, Bargach’s foundation installed a fog-catching system that collects water from the fog and distributes it.

A local solution to help local communities

The technique behind collecting the water from fog is simple.

“If you think about a volleyball net that in the morning you find wet because of the humidity collected, it’s the same principle,” Bargach explained.

The main difference is that the net is engineered to get as much water as possible from the fog and that the water that drips down is directed into a trough and then onto containers to be later distributed to local communities.

The installation is currently helping 16 villages in the Aït Baamrane region where it is placed but Bargach and the foundation don’t want to stop there.

“We are in the process of expanding the projects and hopefully we will connect at least eight more villages, if not 12, depending on the funding that we have,” she said.

For more on this story, watch the video in the media player above.

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Mysuru: The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has decided to install vacuum-fed chlorination plants at all its water storage and treatment units so that the water supplied by the pumping units is safe to drink.
The MCC has initiated the process of installing such plants at the Vani Vilas Water Works (VVWW) on KRS Road, High Level Reservoir at Yadavagiri, the central water storage tank at Vijay Nagar II Stage and water units at Kuvempu Nagar. All these are all supply points.
The facility will also be built in pumping stations at Melapura, Rammanahalli, Belagola, Devanur and Kembalu near Hullahalli and at Pinjrapole near Udbur Gate.
Three stages of chlorination are being done for the water being supplied to households, first at the water treatment plants, next at the main balancing reservoirs and finally at booster chlorination at the service reservoirs before the water is supplied to residents, officials said.
The MCC has been using gravity-feed equipment for mixing chlorine with water.
The installation of new vacuum-feed equipment not only helps in regulating the flow of chlorine, it also checks gas leakage and ensures supply of better quality of water to households in the city, sources said.
Vani Vilas Water Works officials said the city civic body has already started the process of installation of such equipment as it is beneficial for supply of safe drinking water to households after testing the content of chlorine. Water that is being supplied to residents must contain 0.5ppm of chlorine.
The water will be tested for pH quantum, chloride-fluoride, bacteria content, hardness, turbidity before supplying to residents, the officials said.
Mayor Sunanda Palanethra said the MCC is waiting for the district minister to fix the date for the inauguration of these projects next week.

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Image supplied, Weber Basin Water Conservancy District

This map shows some of the water providers in the Ogden Valley. Studies into the valley’s water and sewer needs will be the focus of a public meeting on Wednesday, July 27 2022.

EDEN — As demand to develop in the Ogden Valley has surged, so too have worries about whether the area has enough water to accommodate new residents.

How to manage the sewage created by a growing population has also been a big question mark.

Now a pair of studies delving into the issues are complete and will be formally presented to the public next week. The gathering is set for Wednesday starting at 6 p.m. and will be held at Valley Elementary School in Eden.

While prior studies into the Ogden Valley’s water needs “have been useful in understanding the challenges in the valley, few solutions to those challenges have been offered,” consultant Bowen Collins and Associates said on its website. “The goal of this project will be to identify specific solutions that can be implemented to address water needs.”

Bowen Collins worked with the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District on the water study.

Among the challenges in addressing water needs in the Ogden Valley is the large number of independent water providers, according to Bowen Collins. Each is limited in the water it can produce.

The sewer study, sponsored by Weber County with assistance from Sunrise Engineering, focused on “how to improve groundwater quality through sewer management.” Earlier studies have warned that more people and more sewage will require better waste treatment options to assure water quality given the potential for contamination of groundwater by nitrates.

Public input is also being sought. Go to bit.ly/3PsesOM to provide feedback on the sewer question and bit.ly/3OrEEba to sound off on the water issue.

Those interested in taking part in next Wednesday’s meeting may also view it via Zoom. Go to bit.ly/3PvT7Uz for the link. The meeting ID is 840 1660 3342.

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Published: 7/22/2022 4:35:09 PM

Modified: 7/22/2022 4:34:46 PM

COLRAIN – Town residents with private wells are eligible for free water testing provided by the Private Well Program to Protect Public Health.

The program is a community partnership funded by The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts and carried out by RCAP Solutions’ environmental professionals.

Residents are able to sign up now and the testing will take place throughout September and October. Residents can request a water visit at rcapsolutions.org/ma-private-wells.

Private Well Program to Protect Public Health is a multi-pronged program for private well safety. It gives free private well testing, educates the public about contaminated private wells, and works with public officials to enact legislation to promote equitable drinking water. 

The program has funding to perform 240 tests in six towns annually. Colrain was chosen because it has a high number of private wells and is a member of the Cooperative Public Health Service (CPHS) of The Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG), one of the partners. 

Jenna Day, Director of Community Resources at RCAP Solutions, said the free testing will provide “useful data to state agencies about beliefs of homeowners and the contaminants in private wells.” Last year they found that 27% of wells had levels of contaminants exceeding state health standards. 

Maegen McCaffrey, vice president of communications for RCAP, wrote in a statement that, “Unlike public drinking water systems, private wells do not have experts regularly checking the water’s source and quality before it is sent to the tap. Households that rely on private wells should take special precautions to ensure the safety of their drinking water.”

McCaffrey explained some people may live on a private well, and not know it. 

According to their website, “Established in 1969 (as Rural Housing Improvement), RCAP Solutions has been helping individuals, families, communities and small business owners with a wide range of housing and other beneficial services for almost a half a century.”

Contact Bella Levavi at 413-930-4579 or [email protected].

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What to Know

• A water utility company is asking residents in several towns in northern New Jersey to not drink their tap water after E.coli was detected in water samples following a water main break earlier this week.
• The communities affected are Fairview, Cliffside Park, Ridgefield, Edgewater, Fort Lee, Palisades Park and Leonia.  
• A Veolia New Jersey spokesperson said that following a water main break in Ridgefield on Monday, water service was restored on Tuesday but water samples taken from the area of the break on Tuesday and Wednesday detected E.coli.

A water utility company is asking residents in several towns in northern New Jersey to not drink their tap water after E.coli was detected in water samples following a water main break earlier this week.

The communities affected are Fairview, Cliffside Park, Ridgefield, Edgewater, Fort Lee, Palisades Park and Leonia.  

A Veolia New Jersey spokesperson said that following a water main break in Ridgefield on Monday, water service was restored on Tuesday but water samples taken from the area of the break on Tuesday and Wednesday detected E.coli.

It takes 24 hours for results to come back and Veolia says it could take several days before they can lift the advisory.

E. coli consists of a diverse group of bacteria that normally live in the intestines of people and animals, according to the CDC.

According to Veolia New Jersey, the E.coli bacteria can make you sick and are especially a concern for people with weakened immune systems. Bacterial contamination can occur when increased run-off enters the drinking water source (for example, following heavy rains). It can also happen due to a pipe break or a failure in the water treatment process. It can also occur when the water has been contaminated with human or animal wastes.

According to the CDC, infection varies from person to person, but often includes severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting. Some people may have a mild fever. Although, most people get better within 5 to 7 days, infections could be severe or even life-threatening.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU LIVE IN THE AREA IMPACTED?

First and foremost, do not drink the water.

Bring all water to a boil in order to kill the bacteria and other organisms in the water, letting it boil for one minute and letting it cool before using, according to Veolia. Drink bottled water is possible.

“Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, food preparation, and provided to pets until further notice,” Veolia said.

Veolia said it is continuously monitoring and testing the system and we will inform those impacted when the boil water advisory is lifted.

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ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 22nd Jul, 2022 ) :Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) in its quarterly bottled water quality monitoring report issued on Friday declared 26 brands as unsafe for human consumption.

For the last quarter (April to June, 2022), 174 samples of Mineral/Bottled water brands were collected from 21 cities.

Comparison of test results with the bottled water quality standards of Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) has revealed that 26 brands were unsafe for human consumption.

Eighteen brands (Oxford Pure Water, Pure Nest, Purifa, Aab-e-Hayat, Evian’s Safe Life, Natural Pure Life, Best Natural, Faris, Fiesta Pure, Aqua King, Jheel, Aqua Shrav, Jia, Douro, Premium Drinking Water, Urwell, More plus, Ice drop) were found to be unsafe due to presence of higher levels of sodium.

One brand (i.e. Nation Pure) was found unsafe due to presence of high level of Arsenic, four brands (Blue Life H2O, Indus, Douro and Urwell) were found unsafe due to presence of high level of Nitrate than the permissible limit, while, six brands (New Buxton, Jel, Evian’s Safe Life, Nahla, Top up, Vey) were found microbiologically contaminated and thus were unsafe for drinking purpose.

The general public is encouraged to look at the detailed report to know about the status of water quality of bottled water brands they consume.

The detailed report is available on PCRWR website www.pcrwr.gov.pk.

The government has designated the task to PCRWR for quarterly monitoring of bottled/mineral water brands and publicize the results for awareness of public health.

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