Datanomics: Uranium traces put spotlight on India's polluted aquifers

A new nationwide groundwater assessment shows rising uranium and nitrate contamination - with Punjab and Delhi among the worst affected - raising urgent health and policy concerns

Uranium traces were recently found in the breast milk of lactating women in several districts in Bihar. This has raised concerns about groundwater levels and aquifer contamination in India. According to the Annual Ground Water Quality Report 2025 released by the Central Ground Water Board, 28.3 per cent of groundwater quality assessment samples exceeded the permissible limit set by the Bureau of Indian Standards for one or more parameters, indicating localised quality concerns. 

Highest share of uranium-contaminated groundwater in Punjab

 

Nearly 7 per cent of India’s groundwater samples had uranium concentration beyond permissible limits in 2024 (pre-monsoon samples). This share went up to 7.91 per cent in case of post-monsoon samples in 2024. Every other groundwater sample from Punjab experienced uranium contamination, by far the highest share in the country. Over 13 per cent of Delhi’s groundwater samples saw uranium concentration beyond permissible limit.       

Nitrate contamination inches up

 

Nitrate contamination in India’s groundwater samples rose to 20.71 per cent in 2024 from 19.8 per cent in 2023, despite less samples examined in 2024. Values of electrical conductivity (EC) — a widely used parameter to assess groundwater quality, along with fluoride contamination — declined marginally from 2023, but were still above the 2022 numbers.