**Executive Summary:**
This document summarizes the Indian government's response to questions regarding the HN Valley and KC Valley projects, which aim to replenish groundwater in drought-prone regions of Karnataka. The projects use treated water adhering to secondary treatment standards for indirect groundwater recharge. Studies indicate improved groundwater quality and quantity, suitable for secondary uses with minimal treatment.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Project Objectives and Scope:**
* The KC Valley and HN Valley projects aim to replenish the groundwater table in drought-affected regions through soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT) technology.
* These are not drinking water projects but focus on indirect groundwater recharge.
* **Water Quality and Treatment:**
* Treated water used in the projects adheres to secondary treatment standards set by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Karnataka Pollution Control Board.
* Studies by IISc and other teams demonstrate that the projects have significantly increased groundwater quality and quantity.
* Groundwater quality is suitable for secondary uses with minimal disinfection.
* Three-stage purification would still not make sewage water drinkable, and no detailed scientific study has been conducted on this matter.
* Two-stage purification of sewage is sufficient for agricultural use
* **Irrigation Solutions:**
* No permanent irrigation solutions are being adopted.
* The Projects like KC Valley and HN Valley indirectly help for irrigation.
* **Canal and Lake Rejuvenation:**
* The Government of Karnataka has taken steps to rejuvenate canals and lakes; details are provided in an annexure.
* **Scientific Studies and Monitoring:**
* IISc, Bangalore, and Ms. EMP Laboratories, Bangalore, are continuously monitoring the recycled project water quality and environmental impact.
* IISc is studying groundwater quality, agro-ecology, changes in agricultural practices, and potential implications of the project.
* A national-level expert committee reviews IISc's findings, and their outcomes have positive impacts on water scarcity.
* IISc's findings are regularly communicated to international peer-reviewed journals.
* Positive impacts include improved groundwater levels and quality, higher agricultural productivity, improved productivity of milk and fish, increased farmer income, revival of the rural economy, and improved migratory bird populations and tourism.
* **NGT Appreciation and Further Studies:**
* The NGT has appreciated the work on the KC Valley project and requested a study on the direct use of KC Valley water for irrigation.
* IISc, in collaboration with scientists from GKVK, Bangalore, has started this study.
**Impact Analysis**
* **Rural Households in Karnataka:**
* *Impact:* Improved access to water for secondary uses, enhanced agricultural productivity, and potential improvements in the rural economy.
* *Action Required:* Benefit from improved water availability and implement sustainable agricultural practices.
* **Government of Karnataka (Minor Irrigation and Ground Water Development Department):**
* *Impact:* Responsible for implementing and monitoring the KC Valley and HN Valley projects, including rejuvenation of canals and lakes.
* *Action Required:* Continue implementing and monitoring the projects, act on the NGT's recommendations, and further study the direct use of treated water for irrigation.
* **Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for conducting scientific studies on water quality, agro-ecology, and the overall impact of the projects.
* *Action Required:* Continue monitoring the projects, conduct further studies as requested by the NGT, and disseminate findings through publications and reports.
Key Entities Referenced
Jal Jeevan Mission JJM Har Ghar Jal: A Government of India initiative to provide potable water to every rural household through functional tap water connections.
HN Valley project: A project initiated by the Government of Karnataka to replenish the groundwater table through soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT) technology in drought-affected regions.
KC Valley project: A project initiated by the Government of Karnataka to replenish the groundwater table through soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT) technology in drought-affected regions.
Chikkaballapur, Karnataka: A drought-prone region in Karnataka, India, where permanent irrigation solutions are being considered.
Kolar, Karnataka: A drought-prone region in Karnataka, India, where permanent irrigation solutions are being considered.
Bangalore Rural, Karnataka: A drought-prone region in Karnataka, India, where permanent irrigation solutions are being considered.
National Green Tribunal NGT: An entity that has stipulated secondary treatment standards for water used in the KC Valley and HN Valley projects.
Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore: An academic institution engaged in scientific studies related to the KC Valley and HN Valley projects, including water quality monitoring and impact assessment.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI
DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2010
ANSWERED ON 31/07/2025
HN VALLEY AND KC VALLEY PROJECTS
2010. DR. K SUDHAKAR:
Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has conducted any study to prove that the water from HN Valley
and KC Valley projects is drinkable and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the three-stage purification process would make sewage water drinkable and if so,
the details thereof including the details of scientific studies conducted in this regard;
(c) whether any permanent irrigation solutions are being adopted for frequent drought-prone
regions such as Chikkaballapur, Kolar and Bangalore Rural and if so, the details thereof;
(d) the steps taken/being taken to rejuvenate canals and lakes in the regions of Chikkaballapur,
Kolar and Bangalore Rural; and
(e) whether two-stage purification of sewage is sufficient for agricultural use and if so, the
details thereof including scientific studies conducted for the purpose?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI
(SHRI V. SOMANNA)
(a) Since August 2019, Government of India in partnership with States is implementing Jal
Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal to make provision of potable water to every rural
household of the country through functional tap water connection. Water is a state subject and
therefore, the primary responsibility for planning and implementing piped water supply
schemes to provide tap water to rural households, lies with the respective State/UT.
As per Government of Karnataka, State has initiated the KC Valley and HN Valley projects
with the primary objective to replenish the groundwater table through an indirect groundwater
recharge concept based on soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT) technology in regions that are
severely affected by drought and over-extraction of ground water, and these are not drinking
water projects. The treated water utilized in these projects adheres to secondary treatment
standards, as stipulated by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Karnataka Pollution
Control Borad, and studies conducted by IISc and other teams have shown that these projects
have significantly increased both groundwater quality and quantity. The groundwater quality
is suitable for secondary uses, and with minimal treatment (mainly disinfection). The villages
served by KC Valley and HN Valley projects are equipped with RO-based drinking water
dispenser systems provided by the RDPR department of GoK.
Page 1 of 4(b) As per State Govt., the three-stage purification still would not make the sewage water
drinkable. In this regard, no detailed scientific study has been conducted on this matter till date.
(c) As per State Govt., no permanent irrigation solutions are being adopted by the State, but
the Projects like KC Valley and HN Valley have been taken up by Minor Irrigation and Ground
Water Development Department, Government of Karnataka, indirectly helps for irrigation.
(d) The Govt. of Karnataka has taken some steps to rejuvenate canals and lakes, their details
provided by the State are enclosed at Annexure.
(e) Starting from 2019, the Minor Irrigation department of Govt. of Karnataka has engaged a
team of scientists from IISc, Bangalore and Ms. EMP laboratories Bangalore, a NABL
accredited lab for continuous monitoring of the recycled project. The IISc (CST) was engaged
to monitor the overall outcomes regarding water quality (environmental) being transferred and
its effect on indirect groundwater recharge. Under this project, IISc was engaged to study the
groundwater quality and its ability to remain fresh and usable for long periods, soil agro
ecology when indirectly recharged groundwater is used for irrigation and the nature of the
change in agricultural practices. IISc was also asked to study the potential implications of this
project and address the present and the future of such an endeavour. The current study goes
beyond the mere reconstruction of environmental problems and the emerging outcomes.
In turn, IISc has constituted a national-level subject matter expert committee comprising
scientists/experts from IIT-Bombay, IIT-Kharagpur and CSIR-NEERI Delhi to review the
findings of the study. The committee "appreciated that the outcomes of this project are very
interesting with positive impacts on solving one of the main problems of water scarcity. Experts
gave their opinion that there is a need to build on this experience and replicate it in other
groundwater-scarce areas of Karnataka and India".
IISc has regularly communicated the findings of the study to international peer-reviewed high-
impact factor journals, which is reviewed by international experts. The findings of the study
have shown significant positive impacts on improved groundwater recharge rates and positive
impacts on groundwater quality impacts, significant positive socio-economic impact and there
is no adverse impact on human health and animal health has been noticed. Positive impacts on
these matters are:
(i) Improved groundwater levels,
(ii) Improved groundwater quality,
(iii) Higher agricultural productivity due to higher availability of water,
(iv) Improved productivity of milk and fish,
(v) Farmers income has significantly increased,
(vi) Revival of rural economy,
(vii) Improved migratory birds and increased tourism.
Based on the positive outcomes of the KC valley project, the Honourable NGT has appreciated
the work and has asked to study if the KC valley water can be used for direct irrigation i.e., not
using the recharged groundwater, but directly using the treated water for irrigation. Based on
this, the MI&GWD department of GoK has requested IISc to take up such a study. In February
2023, IISc, in collaboration with scientists from GKVK, Bangalore, has started this study. The
study has completed one season, and the current findings are encouraging. A detailed study is
ongoing.
*****
Page 2 of 4ANNEXURE
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (D) OF LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED Q. NO. 2010 ANSWERED ON 31.07.2025
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