Urban Water Supply in Andhra Pradesh

Introduction:

1) Andhra Pradesh is having a population of 4.94 Cr as per 2011 census and it is the
seventh-largest state by area covering an area of 162,975 km2.
2) Urban population of Andhra Pradesh is about 1.39 Cr (for 120 ULBs) as on 2011
census and 33.36% people live in urban regions.
3) Objective of Urban water supply system in the state is to supply safe and clean water
in adequate quantity with an optimal usage of water resources, prevention, control of
waste of water and effective demand management.

Existing water supply:

1) In Andhra Pradesh State Urban water supply is mainly dependent on Surface,

Ground and Sub surface Sources.
2) Existing water supply details based on source is as follows

DETAILS OF SOURCE:

Installed Capacity
Type of Source No. of ULBs Source Dept.
in MLD
Ground Water 24 135.00 ULB
Sub-Surface Water 13 130.00 WRD
Surface Water 63 1522.00 WRD
Surface Water 10 45.00 RWS
Total 110 1832.00

3) Sample collection:
a) Proper precautions are being followed for collecting the samples with utmost
care to ensure that no contamination occurs at the time of collection or prior to
examination.
b) Necessary precautions are being taken to obtain a sample that is truly
representative of existing conditions and handle in such a way that it does not
contaminate before it reaches the laboratory.
c) Samples from the taps are being collected in the field by making arrangement
such as tap is opened fully and the water allowed to run to waste for two to three
minutes or for sufficient time to permit clearing of the service line and leaking
 taps are which allow water to flow over the surface of the bottle are being
avoided as sampling points.
d) Completed data of water sample collection includes date and time of collection
with proper label is being maintained.
e) Samples are being collected at four points; 1. At source (Raw Water) 2. After
Treatment at WTP 3. In Distribution System and 4. At consumer end point
4) Water quality testing:
All ULBs are following the regular frequency of sampling from the distribution
system as per CPHEEO norms from the different points on each occasion to enable
overall assessment as follows
Size and frequency

Population No. of ULBs Maximum intervals Min. no. of samples to

between successive be taken from entire
sampling distribution system
Upto 20,000 - One Month One sample per 5000
20,000-50,000 37 Two weeks
of population per
50,001-1,00,000 49 Four days
month
More than 1,00,000 34 One day One sample per
10,000 of population
per month.

1. Tests ULBs conducting:

1. As per recommendations, each ULB shall conduct at least 19 tests mandatory. Out

of 19 tests, 6 are physical tests such as colour, odour taste, temperature, turbidity,

and pH. Two are bacteriological tests such as total coli form and E-coli test. Balance

11 tests are chemical tests.

3. The ULBs are getting samples tested on their own by establishing laboratories (or)

by outsourcing the responsibility to a Third-Party Service Providers (or) by sending

samples to the nearest RWS Dept. laboratory or Regional Public Health Laboratories

of Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM).

2. All ULBs are maintaining the water quality with their staff, most of the surface water

based water treatment facilities are having own labs for testing of certain tests on

their own at the ULB level only and as such in 36 ULBs are having 45 nos of labs.

3. In addition to the above there are 5 Indian Preventive Medicine (IPM) external labs

across the state. These labs are at Visakhapatnam, Eluru, Vijayawada, Guntur

Tirupathi and Kurnool. In general, these PH lab staff are collecting samples and

conducting the test on water quality once in every 3 months. As per standard

protocol of water testing frequency shall be once in every three months for the

population having 50000 and once in 6 months for the towns having population

having population more than 50000.

4. All ULBs are depending upon residual chlorine test, which is very effective in

monitoring the quality of the water. On an average, every ULB is collecting 4 to 5

samples per ward and total samples are 7500-8000 Nos per day.

5. Further H2S strips test is also being conducted to ascertain the contamination of the

water. This test is being conducted in some ULBs, where water supply schemes are

depended on ground water or to ascertain contamination of drinking water with

sewage/ sullage. On an average 1500-1600 samples are being collected and tested by

the ULB staff every day in the State.

Details of Tests:

S. Physical Frequenc Chemical Frequenc Biological Frequency

N tests y of test tests y of test tests of test
o

1. Colour 1.Residual 1.Membrane

Chlorine – filter
Chloroscope technique

2. Odour and 2.Hardness 2.MPN

taste

3. Turbidity – 3.Alkalinity 3.Coliform

Nephlometer index
 S. Physical Frequenc Chemical Frequenc Biological Frequency
N tests y of test tests y of test tests of test
o

4. Temperature 4.Flouride

5 pH - 5.Total
dissolved
solids

6.Metals
other than
iron

7.Dissolved
gases

8.Iron

9.Chloride

10.Nitrites

11.Sulphate
s

History of Contaminations:

Guntur Water contamination incident-2018:

1) Drinking Water in Anandpeta, Sangadigunta and nearby areas of Guntur city on

March 2018 got contaminated due to mixing of sullage water. After consumption of

contaminated drinking water from municipal taps of the above areas, there was a

massive outbreak of gastroenteritis, which resulted in hospitalization of 900 people

and 10 fatalities.

2) Reason for outbreak:

a) Ripe garbage and open drains next to drinking water points have been seen in

several localities of Guntur.

b) Residents allege, drinking water and sewage pipelines are side by side for

decades.
3) Counter measure:

a) Super-chlorination was carried out as a temporary measure.

b) Replacement of existing water pipelines, which were laid 30 years ago.

4) There is no incidence of epidermis or outbreak of Diarrhoea, Gastro Enteritis (GE),

Jaundice etc in the state during the year 2019-20.

6. Monitoring system

 In all ULBs water supply staff and the ward volunteers are involved in water

quality testing and every day the collecting samples and testing RC test.

 Wherever any shortfall is observed, the same is being rectified immediately

or within 24 hours.

 Every ULB established Water Quality Monitoring Cell and all the grievances

are being monitored and redressed by the ULB staff.

 Residual Chlorine testing is being monitored by the Office of Engineer-in-

Chief, Public Health and the Office of C&DMA, Govt. of A.P. at State level

and by the Superintending Engineers of all Public Health Circles at regional

level.

 All the testing that is being carried out is captured in the WhatsApp groups

every day.

 Adverse news clippings published in the Major News Papers are reviewed

and monitored by the Office of Engineer-in-Chief, Public Health every day

and Action Taken Reports are being obtained from the respective ULBs.

 All ELSRs are being cleaned periodically by the ULB and the same are

uploaded in the WhatsApp.

 Periodical cleaning and scouring of distribution pipelines is being carried out

in all the ULBs of the State

  Regular monitoring of water supply situation is being done at state level by
PH&ME Department through website appublichealth.gov.in. and daily Tele-
Conference

Methods and rules of Water Quality:

1) IS 10500 (2012): Drinking water

2) IS 1622 (1981): Methods of Sampling and Microbial examination of water.
3) IS 3025-1 (1987): Methods of Sampling and test (physical and chemical) for
water.
4) CPHEEO Manual on Water supply and treatment-1999

Manual Prescriptions:

1. Regular guidelines and circulars are being given to the ULBs during monsoon
season for precautions and before summer, action to be taken by ULBs to
counter the water scarcity during summer season.
2. During Cyclones and epidemic times, necessary instructions are being given to
the ULBs and also regular monitoring is being done by the Office of Engineer-in-
Chief, Public Health.

Summer Action Plan guidelines to ULBs:

1. Summer Storage Tanks shall be filled up to Maximum Water Level before

closure of canals duly coordinating with the authorities of Water Resources
Department.

2. Cross Bunds in Canals shall be formed for raising the water level for filling of
Summer Storage Tanks duly coordinating with the of Water Resources
Department authorities.

3. Power Bores/ Bore Wells must be flushed to increase their discharge capacity.

4. Periodical maintenance of Pump Sets/ Generators/ Water Tankers owned by the

ULB should be carried out and necessary spare parts must be procured for
emergency repairs.

5. All units i.e. Summer Storage Tanks, Elevated Reservoirs, Infiltration wells,
Filtration Plants etc., must be kept in working condition.
6. Sufficient stock of Chlorine cylinders, Bleaching powder and Alum should be
maintained

7. All distribution lines, pumping mains shall be thoroughly checked and leakages
found, if any should be rectified immediately

8. Standby generators should be procured on hire basis well in advance and kept
ready at pumping stations, if own generators are not available, in case of any
power failure.
9. Required no. of Water Tankers must be hired in advance / Private Water tankers
must be identified for hiring in case of emergency to supply drinking water
during the time of breakdown of water supply system and to supply drinking
water to the tail end areas / under-served areas of the distribution system.

10. Cleanliness around the Summer Storage Tank should be kept.

11. Proposals for meeting the expenditure under Adverse Seasonal Conditional
Grants (ASC) are being formulated and submitted to the C&DMA, A.P., Guntur
for seeking release of funds.