The Chikkaballapur terrain appears remarkably familiar, huge boulders scattered across fields, timeless hillocks standing tall, and red soil much like that of Nalgonda. The iconic monolithic rocks, such as “Nalla Konda” in Nalgonda and the massive granite of Nandi Hills near Chikkaballapur. Both these areas lie on the ancient
Dharwar Craton, the Nandi hills are considered the very building block of India’s landmass and Nalgonda Eastern part of the Dharwar Craton are the oldest geological formations on the Indian subcontinent.

The Shared Challenge of Fluoride

Excess fluoride in drinking water is endemic to these two districts. In both Nalgonda and Chikkaballapur, groundwater sources contain high levels of fluoride. Consuming high fluoride containing water leads to dental, skeletal fluorosis, a condition that causes stiffness, pain, and deformities in bones and joints. Non-skeletal impacts include anemia, neurological problems, and complications in pregnancy and child development. The root cause in both regions is geological: fluoride-rich rocks release the element into groundwater.

For decades, communities in both areas have struggled with the fluoride problems with limited rainfall, dependence on deep borewells, and growing health burdens. In Nalgonda, safe water is provided by the government program called Mission Bhagiratha and in Chikkballapur safe water is provided by the government by installing the RO plants. Even though the safe drinking water is ensured the water scarcity and dependency on ground water remains a major concern in Nalgonda.

What Catches the Eye

Driving into Chikkaballapur during the early monsoon, what catches the eye is the intense agriculture activity, thriving fields and water filled lakes. The landscape is alive with sugarcane, mulberry, vegetables, and flowers. particularly striking in comparison with Nalgonda..

This abundance of water is not due to rainfall or traditional watershed interventions. Instead, it is the result of recycled water usage. In conversation with Mr. Avinash who is the director and cofounder of Biome Environmental Trust, we learned that this water comes from treated wastewater from Bengaluru. The treated waste water fills up 134 lakes in Chikkaballapur and surrounding 2 other districts, with active support from the Karnataka State Irrigation Department.

Bengaluru’s wastewater is treated at multiple points before releasing it into the tanks. As a result, farmers now report accessing groundwater at 200 feet, compared to the earlier 1000 feet depths they had to bore. This dramatic change in water availability has transformed the agricultural landscape and revived groundwater levels.

Despite the evident agricultural revival, the intervention brings with it critical questions. There is apprehension among farmers about the quality and safety of the water, a concern strongly expressed by environmentalists and health experts. What are the longer-term impacts of using treated wastewater on soil, food, and human health? Are crops grown using this water safe for consumption? Has the increased water table diluted fluoride concentrations in the groundwater?

Mr. Avinash acknowledges that these are the areas we need to explore and identify the problems.. He points out that while data shows a positive trend in water levels, the long-term effects need continuous monitoring. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been conducted to study the interplay between the treated wastewater, surface water, vegetation, and groundwater. Yet, the outcomes are complex and cannot be viewed through a binary lens of success or failure. Continuous monitoring need not be restricted to lab reports or based on the results of study, the real-time monitoring happens by people with lived experiences. The knowledge, perception, and experiences of local communities regarding water are equally important as lab reports. He emphasizes the need to respect lived experiences, backed by science, to build trust, and strengthen solutions.

As he rightly notes, there are many layers to this intervention: hydrological, ecological, social, and health. Understanding each layer is essential to minimise the risk on health and ecology. It is also clear that no single stakeholder—whether government, civil society, or scientific community—can tackle the problem in isolation. It requires collaborative partnerships, each bringing their own lens, expertise, and priorities.

As we at INREM continue to work on water quality to create water safe communities the important lesson to learn is it is this kind of layered, collaborative approach, keeping the community and people at the center holds promise.

Introduction

The global water crisis is deepening, with climate change, population growth, and pollution threatening water security for billions. India, home to nearly a fifth of humanity, is at the epicenter of this crisis, grappling with acute water scarcity, contamination, and the urgent need for sustainable solutions. In this context, organizations like the INREM Foundation have emerged as pivotal actors—bridging the gap between policy, community action, and technological innovation to ensure the right to safe and clean water.

The Global Water Crisis: A Climate Perspective

Water scarcity is a mounting concern worldwide, exacerbated by climate change, melting glaciers, and erratic weather patterns. By 2025, 1.8 billion people are projected to face “absolute water scarcity,” while two-thirds of the global population will experience water stress. Glacial melt, a direct consequence of rising global temperatures, threatens water supplies for nearly two billion people, impacting agriculture, energy, and basic survival. The United Nations and other international bodies are calling for urgent action to reduce emissions, strengthen local water management, and enhance global cooperation to mitigate these risks.

India’s Water Industry: Challenges and Transformation

Current State

India’s water sector is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by the dual pressures of climate change and urbanization. The government has significantly increased allocations for water supply, sanitation, and wastewater management, reflecting the urgency of the situation. The 2025-26 Union Budget, for instance, earmarked nearly ₹1 trillion for water-related initiatives, aiming to expand access and promote integrated management. Despite these efforts, India faces persistent challenges:

• Water Scarcity: Demand is projected to double by 2040, with a potential shortfall of 750 billion cubic meters.
• Pollution: Industrial, agricultural, and domestic effluents continue to contaminate rivers and groundwater, with over 375 polluted river stretches identified in 2018 alone.
• Infrastructure Gaps: Many cities lack dedicated pipelines for treated water, and operational inefficiencies in treatment plants persist.
• Public Perception: Resistance to the reuse of treated water, especially for agriculture and potable purposes, is widespread due to misconceptions about safety.

Market Trends

The Indian water and wastewater management market is expanding rapidly, with a projected compound annual growth rate of over 10% between 2025 and 2030. Automation, advanced purification methods, and intelligent management systems are being adopted to boost efficiency and sustainability. There is a growing emphasis on water recycling, circularity, and public-private partnerships to address the crisis.

The Role of NGOs: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Accountability

INREM Foundation: A Case Study

INREM Foundation stands out as a leader in India’s water quality landscape. Operating across seven states, INREM focuses on:

• Community-Based Research: Developing models for water quality improvement through field labs and experiments.
• Technology and Innovation: Leveraging AI and digital platforms to democratize access to water contamination data, empowering communities to monitor and respond to water quality issues.
• Capacity Building: Training local stakeholders, government officials, and volunteers (e.g., the “Jaldoots” program in Assam) to enhance water quality monitoring and awareness.
• Policy Support: Partnering with government agencies, including the Jal Jeevan Mission, to shape standards and ensure effective implementation.

INREM’s approach exemplifies the critical role of NGOs in bridging the gap between policy and practice, especially in rural and underserved areas.

Broader NGO Impact

Other NGOs, such as the Sehgal Foundation and Save Indian Farmers, are also instrumental in:

• Constructing water infrastructure (dams, tanks, rainwater harvesting systems).
• Promoting cost-effective water filters and conservation techniques.
• Raising awareness and advocating for sustainable agricultural practices.

Collectively, these organizations play a vital role in holding governments accountable, ensuring community participation, and fostering innovation.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and the Evolution of Water Standards

The Importance of Standards

Safe and clean drinking water hinges on robust standards for quality, monitoring, and enforcement. In India, water governance is distributed across multiple agencies, including the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Central Water Commission (CWC), and municipal authorities. The evolving regulatory landscape reflects growing recognition of the need for stricter norms:

• Stricter Quality Parameters: Recent regulations mandate advanced treatment technologies (e.g., reverse osmosis, UV sterilization) and regular testing for contaminants.
• Revised Discharge Standards: Wastewater discharge norms have been tightened, with a move toward uniform standards and sector-specific requirements for industrial effluents.
• Transparency and Adaptation: The process of setting and revising standards has faced challenges, including lack of transparency and adaptation time for legacy systems.
• Community Involvement: NGOs like INREM are increasingly involved in monitoring, data democratization, and capacity building, ensuring that standards are not just set but also implemented at the grassroots.

Accountability Mechanisms

Monitoring and evaluation are central to a human rights-based approach to water management. NGOs and civil society organizations act as watchdogs, tracking compliance, identifying gaps, and advocating for remedial action. Through partnerships with governments and communities, they help ensure that standards translate into real-world improvements in water quality and public health.

Conclusion: Toward a Water-Secure Future

The water crisis is both a symptom and a driver of broader environmental and social challenges. In India, the convergence of climate change, rapid development, and legacy pollution demands a multifaceted response. Organizations like INREM Foundation are at the forefront of this effort—combining research, technology, community engagement, and policy advocacy to build water-safe communities.

As standards evolve and accountability mechanisms strengthen, the role of NGOs in monitoring, evaluation, and public awareness will only become more critical. The path to water security lies in collaborative action, innovation, and a relentless commitment to the right of every person to safe, clean water—a goal that is as urgent as it is achievable.

Tackling water contamination at scale requires systems that help communities solve problems together, learn fast, and share proven solutions.

INREM’s Changemaking Networks model does exactly that. Rooted in trust, local leadership, and open data, the approach combines simple digital tools with people-centred rituals (circles of doing, nodal coordinators, badges) to create an “operating system” for distributed problem-solving.

The brochure documents INREM’s experimentation and learnings. From a pilot that trained 45,000 Water Ambassadors across Assam to WQM onboarding courses that have graduated thousands. It explains how network design (roles, incentives, measurement) transforms isolated interventions into durable community capability.

“When communities lead, simple data and shared practices turn local solutions into lasting change.”

Unsafe drinking water and poor nutrition form a self-reinforcing cycle that deepens health inequities in rural India. The IWMI-Tata highlight by S. Krishnan and R. Indu synthesizes research and field experience to show how combining safe water interventions with focused nutrition actions can produce far larger health gains than working on either area alone.

Key insights include:
(a) water contaminants such as fluoride and arsenic interact with nutritional status;
(b) simple, context-appropriate actions can immediately protect the most vulnerable (infants and children); and
(c) enhancing local food preservation keeps micronutrients available year-round and supports resilience.

The note argues for two complementary avenues that are practical and scalable:
(1) integrate low-maintenance water filters into nutrition and food-service locations, and
(2) support localized preservation and supply of nutrient-rich local foods so communities can sustain dietary improvements even in lean seasons or climate shocks. These combined actions can lower disease burden (diarrhoeal diseases, fluorosis/arsenicosis impacts), improve absorption of micronutrients, and help communities move out of a vicious health-poverty loop.

“Safe water and nutrition together can break deep-set health inequities : small, local actions at nutrition centres and community food preservation can deliver large, lasting gains.”

At the end of one of our online learning sessions, a Water Quality Champion (hyperlinked) stayed over. He had a problem to share. One community that his organization was engaging with in New Delhi lived right next to a solid waste dump and when it rains, there is black water flowing past people’s homes. When he saw women washing clothes and children playing just next to this drain, he got troubled and wanted to know how people’s health might be getting affected with this. What can be really done about this?

So, what are Water-Safe Communities and how do we see it in INREM? We believe it strongly in INREM that together, we as communities can get ourselves out of the current mess and have clean water all around us. A Water-Safe Village is one in which there is clean and safe water at homes, in farms, in ponds and everywhere for everyone.

In our Communities programme (hyperlinked), we work closely with Rural Childcare Centres or Anganwadis. By ensuring Safe drinking water for children in Anganwadis; ensuring that the food used for cooking is safe, ensuring that mothers who get a meal from the Anganwadis get safe water in it – all of these together make a Water-Safe Anganwadi. When an Anganwadi worker such as Meena ji in Udaipuria village of Jhabua district uses a Water Purifier, she helps secure a future generation of children and mothers. That is a sort of outcome that we aim for in INREM.

Together, examples like the Anganwadi above and many others contribute towards a Water-Safe Udaipuria village and pave the way for Water-Safe Communities elsewhere.

We see our role in INREM as enablers and catalyzers to this process of empowering more changemakers such as Meena ji to be able to detect and sense invisible Water contamination problems such as fluoride and arsenic, and be able to plan and secure solutions which help children and women from severe health consequences such as bone deformities, severe Anemia and different forms of cancer.

In INREM, we are trying to grapple with the scale of the problem and imagine approaches that are able to distribute the ability to sense and solve local issues. Recent research that we have done with public data shows us that around 9.5 Million Hectares of Agricultural land in India uses contaminated water for producing food. Also, we estimate that around 131 Million rural Livestock animals (out of a total rural animal population of 414 Million) are exposed to Water contamination and its effects. When we imagine a Water-Safe Community, it is an inclusive vision looking at human health, livelihoods and animal health. The challenge is large, but so is the hope and positivity that we carry in INREM for change.

When we go back to the image of black water flowing past the women washing clothes and children playing, it is a reminder that the basic dignity of clean water is far from being achieved. It is a basic right for all of us and ecosystems that we are part of. Come, join us to create a Water-Safe World.