Sustainable mitigation of arsenic contaminated groundwater in Bihar, India
A. Ghosh
S.C. Borges Freitas
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Abstract
The “water surplus” state of Bihar is faced with the serious problem of arsenic contaminated aquifers whose water is used both for drinking and irrigation purposes. A large number of mitigation strategies are being adopted by the authorities, without obtaining the desired results of clean water supplies to the arsenic affected rural population. The objectives of this study were to identify the gaps in such mitigation techniques and to establish a holistic, innovative technology that is integrated with the socio-economic milieu of the study area. An adsorbent based arsenic removal technology has been tested and is being operated with community participation. The results revealed marked reduction in iron and arsenic concentration, effective operational processes and a financially viable clean water production for a community of 25 families, with scope for upscaling this mitigation model.