India's Tap Water Crisis: Why ROs Dominate & What's Being Done

• Contaminated tap water is widespread in India, even in clean cities like Indore, due to old pipelines, mineral buildup, industrial waste, and outdated treatment plants.
• Old, cracked pipelines allow sewage and soil to seep into drinking water, while lead and rust from iron pipes further degrade quality.
• RO purifiers are widely adopted as they effectively remove heavy metals, salinity, bacteria, and viruses, which simple boiling or filters cannot.
• Experts warn ROs can remove essential minerals; not always necessary if TDS is low, and modern ROs offer mineral control.
• Puri is India's first city with directly potable tap water ('Drink From Tap' mission), using advanced treatment and monitoring, while some rivers like Umngot and upper Ganges remain clean.

Why It Matters: Widespread tap water contamination in India drives RO adoption, but solutions like Puri's 'Drink From Tap' offer hope.