Despite government schemes like Har Ghar Jal-Nal Yojna, groundwater in Bihar remains dangerously contaminated. Over 30,000 rural wards in 31 of the state’s 38 districts face unsafe drinking water, exposing residents to long-term health risks from arsenic, fluoride, uranium, iron, and nitrate.
The Bihar Economic Survey 2024–25, presented in the state assembly, found that 26% of rural wards have toxic elements in their groundwater exceeding permissible limits. Experts link this to untreated industrial waste, pesticide-heavy farming, over-extraction of groundwater, and the growing effects of climate change.
Detected in districts including Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, and West Champaran, arsenic contamination can cause arsenicosis skin lesions, pigmentation, and, in severe cases, internal cancers. Prolonged exposure is also linked to heart disease and diabetes complications.
Excess fluoride recorded in districts such as Banka, Gaya, and Sheikhpura, can lead to dental and skeletal fluorosis. Children are especially vulnerable, developing mottled teeth and weakened bones when exposed over time.
Groundwater tests in Siwan and other districts including Saran, Khagaria, and Nawada have found uranium above safe levels. Long-term ingestion can damage kidneys, affect bones, and increase cancer risk.
High iron levels have been reported in 33 districts, including Patna, Bhagalpur, and Gopalganj. While not immediately lethal, excess iron can stain water, alter taste, cause anaesthetic effects, and encourage harmful bacteria growth.
Detected in districts such as Patna, Muzaffarpur, and Jehanabad, nitrate levels in some samples were more than double the safe limit. In infants, this can cause methemoglobinemia or “blue baby syndrome,” a potentially fatal oxygen transport disorder.