



Mint Explainer | Why India is revisiting fluoride rules for drinking water
.A technical committee review has flagged the existing BIS standard for drinking water as outdated, noting it does not adequately reflect newer technologies or the challenges seen in real-world use.The review signals a shift in policy focus—from just expanding tap water access to ensuring the water supplied is safe to drink. Mint explains the development.Fluoride contamination remains a structural issue in India, particularly in groundwater-dependent regions.
Unlike bacterial contamination, which can be addressed through filtration and disinfection, fluoride is geogenic—naturally present in aquifers—making it harder to eliminate without targeted treatment.The scale is significant: more than 200 districts across at least 20 states report fluoride levels above the permissible 1.5 mg per litre. Estimates suggest 60–70 million people are at risk, with many already affected by fluorosis, a condition that can lead to irreversible skeletal damage over time.This makes fluoride contamination a long-term public health concern, particularly in rural areas where dependence on untreated groundwater remains high.India’s fluoride mitigation strategy has largely centred on the Nalgonda technique, a low-cost chemical treatment method deployed at the community level.
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