Decentralized Water and Sanitation Solutions
Environment & Ecology
- PYQs8
- Articles1
Background
This concept highlights practical, sustainable, and technologically advanced solutions to pressing environmental and public health challenges, aligning with India's development goals (SDG 6) and the need for context-specific infrastructure in diverse geographical settings.
Decentralized water and sanitation solutions involve implementing local-level strategies and technologies for managing water supply, wastewater, and septage, particularly effective in areas where centralized infrastructure is unfeasible or inadequate, promoting sustainability and community involvement.
Facts & tables
- Faecal Sludge & Septage Management (FSSM)
- A key focus for peri-urban sanitation, including building Faecal Sludge Treatment Plants (FSTPs) where Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) are distant.
- Technology for Collection
- Deployment of GPS-equipped desludging trucks to prevent illegal dumping and mini-cesspool vehicles for narrow lanes (e.g., Berhampur, Odisha).
- Decentralized Wastewater Treatment
- Scaling up modular, plug-and-play systems (e.g., Indra Water, Tigreen) that treat used water close to source, recovering over 95% with minimal land/energy.
- Source Sustainability
- Community-driven sanitary inspections of local water sources and catchment protection are vital for securing drinking water at its origin (e.g., Maharashtra model).
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6) |
| Conceptual area | Environmental Technology |
| Conceptual area | Public Health Infrastructure |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Jal Shakti | Proposed to house swachh bharat mission 3.0 focusing on peri-urban sanitation and fssm |
| Startups (e.g., Indra Water, Tigreen) | Developing and deploying innovative decentralized wastewater treatment technologies |
| World Bank | Provides concessional loans and expertise for strategic infrastructure financing, as seen in the uttarakhand model |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Factual recall
Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis
- FSSM: priority for peri-urban sanitation.
- FSTPs: alternative to STPs in remote areas.
- Tech solutions: GPS desludging, modular treatment.
- Source protection: community-driven inspections.
- Policy support: for green industries, blended finance.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2024 | Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding |
| 2024 | Factual recall, Conceptual understanding |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2019 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
| 2016 | Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2015 | Cause and effect relationships, Multi-statement analysis |
Timeline
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Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6)
Conceptual area
-
Environmental Technology
Conceptual area
-
Public Health Infrastructure
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2015
Cause and effect relationships, Multi-statement analysis
-
Prelims 2016
Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions
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Prelims 2019
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
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Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
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Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2024
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
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Prelims 2024
Multi-statement analysis, Conceptual understanding
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Prelims 2024
Factual recall, Conceptual understanding
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Water governance in peri-urban areas
Decentralized water and sanitation solutions, including FSSM, FSTPs, advanced collection technologies, and modular wastewater treatment systems, are crucial for providing sustainable services, especially in peri-urban areas, requiring policy support and community engagement.
See also
No related topics linked yet.
Past papers
2015–2024 · 5 questions
In the news
Water governance in peri-urban areas
Decentralized water and sanitation solutions, including FSSM, FSTPs, advanced collection technologies, and modular wastewater treatment systems, are crucial for providing sustainable services, especially in peri-urban areas, requiring policy support and community engagement.
Try these PYQs
Consider the following materials:
1. Agricultural residues
2. Corn grain
3. Wastewater treatment sludge
4. Wood mill waste
Which of the above can be used as feedstock for producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel ?
* Agricultural residues: These include materials like crop stalks, husks, and leaves. They are a viable source of biomass that can be converted into biofuels, including Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). * Corn grain: Corn grain is a source of sugars that can be fermented to produce ethanol, a biofuel. While ethanol is primarily used in gasoline blends, it can also be further processed into SAF. * Wastewater treatment sludge: This sludge is rich in organic matter. Through processes like anaerobic digestion, it can produce biogas, which can be further converted into SAF. * Wood mill waste: This includes sawdust, wood chips, and bark. These lignocellulosic materials can be converted into biofuels through various thermochemical or biochemical processes, ultimately leading to SAF production. Therefore, all four materials can be used as feedstock for producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel.
With reference to the role of biofilters in Recirculating Aquaculture System, consider the following statements:
1. Biofilters provide waste treatment by removing uneaten fish feed.
2. Biofilters convert ammonia present in fish waste to nitrate.
3. Biofilters increase phosphorus as nutrient for fish in water.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
* Statement 1 is correct: Role of Biofilters in Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS): Biofilters provide waste treatment by removing uneaten fish feed. Biofilters in a RAS help in waste treatment by removing uneaten fish feed and other organic matter from the water. The biofilter media provide a surface for beneficial bacteria to grow, which help in breaking down and removing these wastes. * Statement 2 is correct: Biofilters convert ammonia present in fish waste to nitrate. One of the primary functions of biofilters in a RAS is to convert toxic ammonia (produced from fish waste) into less harmful nitrate. Beneficial bacteria in the biofilter media perform nitrification, a process where ammonia is first converted to nitrite and then further converted to nitrate. * Statement 3 is incorrect: Biofilters do not increase phosphorus as a nutrient for fish in the water. Their primary role is to remove wastes and convert ammonia to nitrate. Phosphorus levels in the water are managed through other means, such as fish feed formulation and water quality management. Therefore, option (B) is the correct answer.
With reference to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that are used in making many consumer products, consider the following statements :
1. PFAS are found to be widespread in drinking water, food and food packaging materials.
2. PFAS are not easily degraded in the environment.
3. Persistent exposure to PFAS can lead to bioaccumulation in animal bodies.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
* Statement 1 is Correct. PFAS are used in a wide range of consumer products, and due to their persistence, they can leach into the environment and contaminate water sources, food, and packaging materials. * Statement 2 is Correct. PFAS are known as 'forever chemicals' because the strong carbon-fluorine bond makes them highly resistant to natural degradation processes. This persistence leads to their accumulation in the environment. * Statement 3 is Correct. Because PFAS don't break down easily, they can build up in the tissues of animals and humans over time, leading to potential health concerns. _Therefore, all three statements are correct._
What can be the impact of excessive/inappropriate use of nitrogenous fertilizers in agriculture?
1. The proliferation of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms in the soil can occur.
2. Increase in the acidity of soil can take place
3. Leaching of nitrate to the ground-water can occur.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Statement 1 is incorrect: Excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers actually reduces the need for nitrogen-fixing microorganisms in the soil. Plants can readily utilize the added nitrogen, so these microbes wouldn't need to fix atmospheric nitrogen for the plants' benefit. Statement 2 is correct: Nitrogenous fertilizers can release acidic compounds as they break down in the soil, leading to increased soil acidity. Statement 3 is correct: When applied in excess, nitrogen fertilizers (especially nitrates) can be easily washed away by rain or irrigation water. This can contaminate groundwater sources.
"Membrane Bioreactors" are often discussed in the context of:
* Membrane Bioreactors are often discussed in the context of: D. Wastewater treatment technologies. * Membrane Bioreactors (MBRs) combine a membrane process like microfiltration or ultrafiltration with a biological wastewater treatment process. * They are used to improve the quality of treated wastewater and are known for their efficiency in removing contaminants.
Show 3 more PYQs
As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in India, which one of the following statements is correct?
* Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 mandate the segregation of waste into three categories - biodegradables, dry recyclables (plastic, paper, metal, etc.), and domestic hazardous waste (diapers, napkins, etc.). * The SWM Rules, 2016 apply not just to urban areas but also to urban local bodies, notified areas, census towns, all industrial townships, special economic zones, State and Central government organisations, places of pilgrimage, religious and historical importance. * There is no restriction on moving waste from one district to another. Waste generators can transport waste as needed for disposal, treatment, or processing. * Waste processing facilities will have to be set up by all local bodies having a population of 1 million or more within two years. * For census towns with a population below 1 million or all local bodies having a population of 0.5 million or more, common, or stand-alone sanitary landfills will have to be set up in three years. * Also, common, or regional sanitary landfills to be set up by all local bodies and census towns with a population under 0.5 million will have to be completed in three years.
Which of the following are the key features of ‘National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA)’?
1. The river basin is the unit of planning and management.
2. It spearheads the river conservation efforts at the national level.
3. One of the Chief Ministers of the State through which the Ganga flows becomes the Chairman of NGRBA on a rotation basis.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Statement 1 is correct. National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) is the financing, planning, implementing, monitoring, and coordinating authority for the Ganges River, functioning under the Jal Shakti Ministry. Statement 2 is correct. The mission of the organisation is to safeguard the drainage basin which feeds water into the Ganges by protecting it from pollution or overuse. In July 2014, the NGRBA has been transferred from the Ministry of Environment and Forests to the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Statement 3 is incorrect. The Prime Minister is the chair of the Authority.
Other members include the cabinet ministers of ministries that include the Ganges among their direct concerns and the chief ministers of states through which the Ganges River flows.
Consider the following statements:
1. Carbon fibres are used in the manufacture of components used in automobiles and aircrafts.
2. Carbon fibres once used cannot be recycled.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
* Carbon fibres are highly valued for their unique properties like strength, lightness, and stiffness. They are widely used in the manufacturing of various components in automobiles and aircraft to reduce weight and improve performance. * Carbon Fiber Recycling: While traditional carbon fibre recycling methods were limited, advancements are being made in this field. Here are some possibilities 1. Mechanical recycling - This process breaks down carbon fibres into smaller pieces for use in applications where their original form is not necessary. 2. Chemical recycling -This method dissolves the resin holding the fibres together, potentially allowing the extraction of reusable carbon fibres. 3. Thermal recycling - High temperatures are used to convert the resin into usable materials while recovering the carbon fibres. * These recycling technologies are still evolving, but they offer a more sustainable approach to using carbon fibres. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.