Jal Shakti Dept tested 2.66 lakh drinking water samples last year

The drinking water supplied across Jammu and Kashmir is safe for human consumption, thanks to regular monitoring under a robust and transparent mechanism, according to a spokesperson for the Jal Shakti Department. The spokesperson added that in the financial year 2024-25, the department collected 2.66 lakh samples to conduct safety checks on the drinking water supply.

A comprehensive water quality monitoring and surveillance system is in place in Jammu and Kashmir, encompassing a network of two Union Territory-level and 20 district-level NABL-accredited laboratories, along with 76 sub-divisional level testing facilities.

“A total of 2.66 lakh water quality tests were performed, covering 6,122 villages in J&K. Of these, only 78 samples were found to be contaminated, primarily due to turbidity, a temporary and seasonal occurrence typically during heavy rains. Immediate remedial measures were implemented in 76 of these instances, resulting in a 98% rate of corrective action, which is significantly higher than the national average of 62%. Furthermore, the contamination rate of 0.03% in J&K is notably lower than the national contamination average of 4.1%, highlighting the Union Territory’s superior performance in ensuring water safety,” the spokesperson stated.

It is also important to note that during the current financial year 2025–26, approximately 25,000 samples have already been tested, and not a single case of contamination has been reported. The department emphasised that these figures demonstrate the seriousness with which it addresses water safety.

J & K