Cleaner water with better treatment and monitoring
The lack of efficient and reliable water supply systems leads to bacteria in surface water and widespread heavy metal contaminants such as arsenic in groundwater. These major health concerns affect nearly the entire rural population and about one third of urban homes in India. With EU funding, the ECO-INDIA (Energy-efficient, community-based water- and wastewater-treatment systems for deployment in India) initiative worked to find sustainable, innovative, environmentally friendly and cost-effective solutions for India's water-scarce and contaminated regions. The researchers targeted the supply of clean, safe drinking water by treating wastewater at a rural community pilot site with no treatment method in place. They found high concentrations of arsenic when they tested the site's surface water ponds and groundwater. ECO-INDIA installed water filtering, water disinfection and online monitoring systems, and then tested to bring the site's water quality to desired levels. Researchers developed and installed water treatment and monitoring systems in Europe and delivered them to the pilot site in India. ECO-INDIA developed lab-scale deionisation technology for water treatment. ECO-INDIA outcomes will help to deliver cost- and energy-efficient drinking water in rural India. The health and well-being of entire community and village populations throughout India stand to benefit.
