Srinagar, Mar 09: Even as the government claims to be expanding rural tap water coverage under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), more than 700 drinking water samples in Jammu and Kashmir have been found contaminated over the last three years.
Details accessed by Rising Kashmir reveal that 387 drinking water samples tested in the Union Territory during 2023-24 were found contaminated. The number dropped to 78 samples in 2024-25, while 135 samples tested during the current financial year (2025-26), till March 2, have also failed quality tests.
The data further shows that the number of samples tested in J&K has increased significantly in the last three years, reflecting expanded monitoring of drinking water quality across the region.
According to the details, 2,05,954 samples were tested in laboratories during 2023-24, while 2,66,547 samples were tested in 2024-25. In the current financial year so far, 2,85,239 drinking water samples have already been tested.
The data also indicates that remedial action was reportedly taken in 382 contamination cases in 2023-24, 76 cases in 2024-25 and 127 cases in 2025-26 after samples were found unsafe for consumption.
While the figures suggest that authorities have responded to contamination incidents, the persistence of such cases highlights continuing gaps in ensuring a safe drinking water supply in parts of the Union Territory.
The testing is being carried out under the Water Quality Management Information System (WQMIS) developed under the Jal Jeevan Mission to track water quality, sample testing and corrective action across states and Union Territories.
The mission, launched in August 2019, aims to provide functional household tap connections to every rural household and ensure a regular supply of safe drinking water.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the government has been highlighting rapid progress in expanding tap water connectivity in rural areas in recent years. Yet water quality remains a concern in several locations, particularly in rural and mountainous regions where communities depend on springs, streams and groundwater sources.
Experts say contamination in drinking water can occur due to bacteriological pollutants, ageing pipelines, inadequate treatment systems and naturally occurring elements such as iron, fluoride or arsenic.
They note that while increasing the number of tests is an important step, the larger challenge lies in ensuring consistent treatment, safe distribution networks and sustained monitoring of water quality, especially in remote villages.
