Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance (WQM&S): Under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme the issue of Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance has been given due emphasis. The monitoring and surveillance results from the habitations are also to be put on the database of the Department and monitored to ensure drinking water security at the household level.
The National Rural Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance Programme launched in February 2005 has now been merged with NRDWP. Detailed WQM&S Guideline is at Annexure
III. Broadly, the programme is as follows:
The approach, strategy and mode of implementation of the WQM&S programme as detailed in the “Implementation Manual on National Rural Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance Programme” issued by RGNDWM, Department of Drinking Water Supply, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India (November 2004) needs to be adopted.
- All drinking water sources should be tested at least twice a year for bacteriological contamination and once a year for chemical contamination.
- Under NRDWP, States may establish Water
Testing Laboratories at the Sub- Division level with a provision of testing few selected chemical parameters (need based) and biological parameters. Under NRHM there is a provision of testing water quality (biological parameters) at the Primary Health Canters. Such facilities, along with any other labs like college/school labs, in the area, may be used for the programme.
- The existing Field Testing Kits (FTK) may continue to be used for primary detection of chemical and biological contamination of all the drinking water sources in the villages. Fund provided for procurement of FTKs under National Rural Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance Programme launched in February 2005 should be fully utilized.
- IEC and HRD for WQM&S are to be taken up as part of the CCDU activities.
- The services of five GP level persons who have been trained under National Rural Drinking Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance programme since February 2006 i.e. ASHA, Anganwadi Workers, School Teachers, GP members, Social Workers etc. will continue to be utilized for the surveillance programme.
- Monitoring is to be done by entering the test
results of all sources tested by the designated labs on the IMIS of DDWS. The habitation and household data must be collected by two village level members
(i) VWSC member selected in the Gram Sabha and fully accountable to the Panchayat and (ii) ASHA of NRHM. They will also authenticate the test results of Field Test Kits used in the village.