We are engineers at the Department of Water Supply & Sewerage (DWSS), and were glad to read Poisoned Wells by Avidit Acharya (#102). We would like to clarify a few points. The National Steering Committee on Arsenic has decided to paint black cross on white background on arsenic contaminated tubewells to make the public aware that water from such tubewells should not be used for drinking and cooking purposes. But it can be used for washing. It is therefore not necessary to close down arsenic contaminated tubewells. But people need alternatives for drinking water, and the best option is to find arsenic-free tubewells nearby. It is therefore necessary to test all the tubewells. Household level arsenic removal techniques have also been tested using locally available materials for distribution in those communities, where arsenic free tubewells are not available nearby. Of the 20 tarai districts studied so far, Nawalparasi, Rautahat, Parsa, Bara and Kailali have the highest incidence of groundwater contaminated with arsenic.

Nirmal Tandukar and Amar Neku
DWSS, Panipokhari