COIMBATORE: Manufacturers of Reverse Osmosis (RO) purifiers in Coimbatore have evoked a mixed response over the recent draft notification by the Ministry of Environment that prohibits users from installing membrane-based water purification, particularly reverse osmosis.
The draft notification published on February 3 will await further comments from the public up to 30 days, after which it may incorporate changes before it becomes a law.
The move was to comply with recent National Green Tribunal's (NGT) order directing Ministry of Environment to issue a notification banning RO purifiers which reduce the TDS (total dissolved solids) in water below 500 milligram per litre.
Likewise, the tribunal felt that the RO filters waste water in the process of removing salts; the filters often deprive the drinking water of essential salts, it had said.
However, a few manufacturers of RO purifiers claimed the NGT order is not very clear.
M Jayakumar, proprietor of a water purification company in RS Puram West said, "The TDS content differs. River water, in most cases, has below 100 mg TDS, which is potable. Water with 500 mg TDS when consumed often would lead to several health complications, mainly kidney stones."
He claimed a few customers said they are confused with the NGT's order directing a ban on RO purifiers.
"People are confused. They are left to decide whether they want the shift to any alternative product to get safe drinking water," Jayakumar added.
Contradicting Jayakumar's view, G Rajamanickam, a graduate in BTech chemical technology and founder of a water purifier technology company in the city said that a solution that would streamline the business of RO purifiers, which removes essential salt from the water, is needed.
He said, "The World Health Organisation said potable water must contain at least 500 mg of TDS content, which in other words, dictates that drinking water must have a combination of salts. As far as RO filters are concerned, it removes the organic as well as inorganic minerals. Therefore, drinking RO water would solve dehydration but we intake only fewer minerals."
Rajamanickam stated that he has developed a technology, that is due to be patented, where the RO water and normal water would be blended together to have permitted TDS content in the water.
Meanwhile, R Arun, a consumer using the RO filter said, "We are clueless regarding the NGT's order. Most of the houses and commercial establishments have RO purifiers. Besides, there should be a clarification to streamline the purification of potable water by RO filters."
Bharathiar University Associate Professor SR Prabagaran said NGT's direction would pave the way for further technologies to be developed. "Wastage of water with essential salts is the main point to be discussed as far as RO filters are concerned," he added.
Alternative solution
A senior scientist in Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) J Daniel Chellappa said the NGT's order is a win-win situation. Daniel opined that entrepreneurs could come forward to get trained on producing cost-effective on-line domestic water purifiers developed by BARC.
He explained, "The BARC's water purifier with a starting price of `1,000-2,000, uses ultra-filtration membrane in candle-format to filter suspended particles and harmful microorganisms. The purifiers do not require any replacement of the candle for up to three years, which is not in the case of RO filters."
Confederation of the Indian Industry-Coimbatore chapter might train entrepreneurs with the resource provided by BARC, he added.
What does NGT's directive say?
- Prohibiting the use of RO purifiers where TDS in water is less than 500 mg per litre
- The policy to be notified may also provide for a mechanism for public awareness about ill-effects of demineralised water on public health
- There is a high level of RO reject which needs to be avoided by not using the RO technology without any precautions
- More than 163 million people in India do not have access to clean water, the highest in the world
- With nearly 70 per cent of water being contaminated, India is placed at 120th amongst 122 countries in the water quality index 2018