In India, high level of arsenic contamination in groundwater in areas in and near Ganga-Brahmaputra plains and its consequences on human health has been reported as one of the world’s biggest groundwater calamities. The area affected by arsenic contamination is about 529674 sq km, spread over 7 states. A population of about 50 million is at direct risk from arsenic contamination. Currently there are very few affordable arsenic removal technologies available in the market and even fewer have actually reached the target community.
The Jal-TARA Arsenic Monitoring and Purification Package provides both monitoring and purification services, Jal-TARA Arsenic Test Kit and Jal-TARA Filter. Jal-TARA Arsenic Test Kit has a broad testing range of 10ppb – 500ppb. At low concentrations, the test kit maintains accuracy in results. Jal-TARA Arsenic Filter can be used by a household to filter up to 7 Litres of contaminated water per hour (reducing arsenic concentration below 50ppb as prescribed by IS 10500 1991). Jal-TARA Arsenic Filter is an offline water purification solution. It does not require electricity to operate nor does it require any chemicals to be added to water for purification process. The filter is ideal for rural areas and easy to install and use. One cartridge can provide up to 2000 litres of Arsenic-safe water.
Advantages
• Simultaneously test presence of arsenic contamination in water and purify it
• Remove iron and bacterial contamination down till permissible level
• Offline, no electricity or chemicals needed
• Robust, easy to operate and maintain
Current Status: The technology has been fully developed and is being commercially disseminated. More than6550 Jal-TARA Arsenic Monitoring and Purification Packages have been sold commercially to grass root NGOs working on the same issues and individual household.