A Sustainable Solution for Safe Drinking Water through Bank Filtration Technology in Uttarakhand, India

Bank filtration (BF) has emerged as an economical and sustainable water pre-treatment technology for drinking water supply. In this method, subsurface water of a water body moves into the well by seepage. BF wells adjacent to a river or lake pump the stored groundwater abstracted from the surface through aquifers. Chemical and biological contaminants such as turbidity, microbes, dissolved chemicals and natural organics are removed by the channel of aquifers present in the area. The whole process follows a series of physical, chemical and biological processes with some redox reactions. This study highlights the role of BF method in regulating water quality and quantity improvement. Besides, attempts have been made to discuss the mechanism, significance and the development of BF technology in the hilly state of Uttarakhand. Water quality status of Srinagar and Satpuli river BF sites of Uttarakhand are also described and compared with the Bureau of Indian Standards guidelines.