But then, this problem was the cash cow for those at the helm of affairs in the PHE Department from 2011-16, allegedly making a section of them richer with ill-gotten money.
The department had Gautam Roy as its minister for the first three years during the period from 2011-16.
According to sources, during the period the department procured 33,600 filters worth Rs 83 crore meant for schools with an apparent purpose of ridding school teachers and students of the ill effect of arsenic and fluoride-contaminated water while in schools.
However, the sinister undertone in the large-scale purchase of such filters is glaringly visible when one studies the manner of distribution of the filters.
Only 39 per cent of the filters purchased were supplied to schools, and the supply was not need-based.
The remaining 61 per cent of the filters had to be dumped in PHE godowns for years.
The department made a mess of the distribution of such filters among the schools in the State.
Thousands of filters were supplied to schools that have no problem of arsenic and fluoride contamination and schools that are located in areas where there are no such contaminated habitations.
The schools received the filters only to make them lie idle for years.
The irony remains that despite spending such a huge amount, arsenic and fluoride contamination in water continues to be a serious problem in the State.

The World Bank unveiled a report titled “Promising Progress: A Diagnostic of Water Supply, Sanitation, Hygiene, and Poverty in Bangladesh” on October 11.
It portrays a dismal picture of water quality in the country.
Seventy-five million Bangladeshis (nearly half the population) are drinking contaminated water where there is presence of arsenic and E-coli bacteria, depending on the region.
Forty-one percent of water supplied has bacteria at source and 13 percent water contains arsenic.
There are certain things that are beyond our control like climate change which is increasing both the frequency and intensity of natural disasters that play havoc with water and sanitation services.
We need to move away from dependence on tube wells to piped water which can be monitored and treated.
Nearly 95 percent of the rural populace and 70 percent of urban residents depend on tube wells where it is very difficult to monitor water quality.
With continued dependence on groundwater comes the challenge of depleting water tables that may be causing arsenic contamination of water supply.
We need to move to piped water supply which will require a major overhaul of existing piped water networks, especially in urban areas.
It is up to policymakers to prioritise the repair and maintenance of piped water systems if we wish to improve on the nutritional disadvantages of early childhood which are linked to poor water quality and sanitation.

She was found dead at a Mary Doyle Lifecare Complex apartment in Havelock North on August 13, 2016.
Coroner Peter Ryan says in his report he is satisfied that she died "as a result of becoming infected with campylobacter in a background of coronary artery disease and appendiceal tumour".
But the artery condition had not been discovered at the time she had been taken ill a few days before her passing, and the coroner says she did not seek medical attention, possibly with a "false sense of security" generated by the serviced-apartment and monitored environment in which she lived a short distance from the Havelock North village centre.
"Although she was monitored by caregivers on a regular basis, these people were not qualified nor expected to assess the extent of her illness," he said.
"The caregivers did encourage Mrs Sparksman to maintain a high fluid intake and continued to monitor her vital signs," he said.
He said she had not shown symptoms of heart disease before another resident reported to a caregiver on August 10, 2016, that Sparksman was unwell.
Vital signs were considered within normal range but because of the symptoms the team leader gave her a glass of rehydration fluid and encouraged her to maintain a high fluid intake.
There were "no other obvious" concerns when she was visited about 2am on August 13, but she was found dead in the apartment about 5.45am.
The coroner said a pathologist considered the death resulted from an interaction between pre-existing natural diseases and an infective gastroenteritis.
A GP believed Sparksman should been seen by a health professional on August 12, but as she "managed all aspects of her own health" there was no responsibility on the caregivers to refer her to primary health care.

Home | Environment Union Leader Correspondent MERRIMACK — Residents will be updated this week on the state’s ongoing investigation into perfluorooctanoic acid in southern New Hampshire.
Representatives with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES), as well as town officials, will be hosting a public informational meeting on Wednesday to inform the community of ongoing efforts to combat the water contamination.
“DES now has some real tools, some real teeth to work with companies like Saint-Gobain,” said town councilor Bill Boyd.
A new law that went into effect on Sept. 8 allows the department to require controls for air emissions of certain PFAS compounds that impact soil and water.
Wednesday’s meeting will provide agency officials the opportunity to review results from recent tests taken from Saint-Gobain’s smokestacks at the Merrimack plant.
DES has already stated that the local facility is still releasing small amounts of polyfluoroalkyl chemicals from the stacks, which could be contributing to local groundwater contamination.
DES will update residents on the site investigation, ongoing water remediation projects with private wells in Merrimack and nearby communities, the air emission tests and Merrimack Village District’s work to improve public wells.
A question and answer session will be held, and break-out conversations with smaller groups will also take place at the meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at James Mastricola Upper Elementary School, 26 Baboosic Lake Road.
“I absolutely am thrilled that DES is coming to Merrimack.
I think that since we started dealing with this issue some two-plus years ago, the opportunity to get up to date information related to water quality, air quality and legislation is critical,” said Boyd.

Detroit Public Schools Community District has so far secured $2.4 million to deal with a widespread lead/copper water contamination problem in its buildings, including separate $500,000 pledges from United Way for Southeastern Michigan and Quicken Loans Community Fund.
The Detroit public school district plans to buy 818 clean water stations for its 106 schools as part of a $3 million effort to deal with high copper and/or lead levels in school buildings’ water.
DPSCD, United Way and the Quicken Loans Community Fund announced the "permanent solution" Tuesday afternoon, soon after the Detroit school board unanimously approved the new plan.
The district’s plan involves installing new Elkay "hydration station" drinking fountains and filtration systems that cool water and remove contaminants.
We stand firmly with the District in putting the safety of our children first and ask the community’s support of our special campaign so that students have access to clean drinking water."
United Way is seeking donations to its Detroit schools water fund on a new website, UnitedWayWaterFund.org.
Donations are funding a substantial portion of costs, but the rest will come from the district’s coffers.
Since Vitti shut off drinking water access, the more than 50,000 students and staff have been drinking out of coolers and bottles.
DPSCD is to purchase water coolers through June 30 from Absopure for $750,000.
The district is still waiting for water test results from 17 schools.

Union Leader Correspondent PORTSMOUTH — The city will be moving forward with the latest technology as officials here work to filter out contamination from drinking water at Pease International Tradeport.
The Haven Well was taken offline immediately when levels of PFOS were found to be more than 12 times higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s health advisory.
The Haven Well is still offline.
On Monday, Deputy Director of Public Works Brian Goetz updated the city council on work planned at the Grafton Road Water Treatment Facility which provides drinking water in Portsmouth.
Goetz said the current plan is to add two resin filters and a granular activated carbon filter at the facility.
Goetz explained resin filters last longer but target specific contaminants.
The carbon filter will be able to treat some of the other legacy contaminants which remain in the water long after they were introduced.
“We are still very concerned about any legacy contaminants there,” Goetz said.
The Haven Well is expected to be back online in 2021, Goetz said.
Meanwhile, federal officials from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry are planning to test people exposed to contaminated drinking water at Pease.

HYDERABAD – Eminent hydrologist and water expert of Pakistan Dr Hassan Abbas said that a mega vision and strong will was needed to tackle the water challenges of the country.
He expressed these remarks while addressing the participants of the graduate seminar on “Pakistan’s Water Challenges: Need for Integrated Water Resources Management”, organized by U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water (USPCAS-W) Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Jamshoro on Friday.
The USPCAS-W organized the event in collaboration with the Center for Social Change (CSC).
Talking about the existing irrigation system, he said that the irrigation canals were made to provide water for agriculture but due to flood irrigation system in Pakistan, these canals caused land degradation because of waterlogging and salinity.
He suggested developing riverine good fields for clean, fresh and sustainable water supply for both agriculture and domestic purposes.
He also recommended that the businesses on the intrinsic value of water, i.e., developing water-front real estates, ecotourism, water sports, etc.
Sharing the way forward, he said that Sindh being in the lower riparian region could provide leadership for effective and efficient water governance and IWRM in the country.
In this connection, he emphasised and illustrated on efficient irrigation in Rohri canal command, inland navigation up to Kotri, urban canal for aquifer recharge and intrinsic value projects in Karachi.
The seminar was followed by the question and answer session, in which the participants asked various questions regarding the way forward for sustainable solutions to the water challenges faced by Pakistan.
He also highlighted the Indus Water Treaty and shared its pros and cons.

LAHORE: Contaminated water is leading to inhabitants of village Kot Asadullah falling sick with bone and joint pains, reported Geo News.
The village in close proximity to the provincial capital has been affected by unhygienic water being provided in the area with residents falling gravely sick with extreme bone and joint aches leading to an inability to move.
One of the residents was cited by reports as saying: "The government needs to pay special attention and resolve this issue on an urgent basis.” Furthermore it was revealed by villagers that the contamination of the water supply was a result of chemicals emissions by factories in the area.
It was reported that a water plant established in the year 2000 remains out of order to date resulting in long queues of villagers at a filtration plant put in by an NGO.
“The land absorbs the chemicals from nearby factories which is why people are falling sick,” complained another inhabitant.
In reference to the issue, spokesperson of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Naeem-ur-Rehman stated that a similar occurrence had come afloat 20 years prior as well due an elevated level of fluoride in the water, while adding that: “There are 12 districts of Punjab where there are high levels of fluoride.” Moreover, the villagers had urged the government to jump in and take stern measures to resolve the issue.

Video ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Contaminated water in New York has been linked to major health problems in communities across the state.
Although the deadline for the first step in addressing this problem is approaching, environmental groups say little is being done.
"I have contracted bladder cancer and my wife has contracted bone and marrow cancer," Michelle O’Leary, Hoosick Falls resident and NYWaterProject member, said.
O’Leary is telling a friend’s story, but accounts like these have been coming out of communities like Hoosick Falls and Newburgh for years now.
A year ago, Governor Cuomo created the Drinking Water Quality Council that was tasked with the job of establishing the maximum amount of toxic chemicals that should be allowed in the water.
Even though the high level of toxins are known to cause health problems, there is no state limit that can manage these chemicals.
"The public has a basic right and expectation that they’re government is going to assure them that the water from their taps is safe and clean to drink.
So environmental groups are asking, what’s the holdup?
The Departments of Environmental Conservation and Health have and continue to deploy unprecedented resources supported by an historic financial commitment to hold polluters accountable and to safeguard public health and the environment.
"These are some of 5,000 postcards we have collected from across the state, urging the council to set stringent limits on those three chemicals," NYPIRG said.

Updated: September 27, 2018 2:05 pm SOUTH BERWICK, Maine — Water safety issues highlighted Tuesday’s Town Council meeting.
Town Manager Perry Ellsworth said the Maine Department of Environment Protection would issue an order prohibiting drilling water wells in the Hooper Sands Road area due to detection of carbon tetrachloroethylene, a known carcinogen, in the aquifer.
The DEP addressed the contamination in the 1990s, but at the Sept. 11 council meeting it was noted a Hooper Sands Road homeowner discovered the same contaminant in a new well on their property.
Ellsworth said Poland Springs offered to supply water to the homeowner, but alternate access to water is being provided by the town.
Old Mill resident and Town Council candidate Abigail Kemble also raised concerns about elevated arsenic levels in her water supply, according to notices from the South Berwick Water District.
According to the notices, arsenic levels of 11 parts per billion were found.
A level of 10.58 ppb is the safe threshold for this heavy metal.
While acknowledging Kemble’s issue, Councilor Russell Abell said cancer risks associated with such levels of arsenic usually occur “after a lifetime exposure to such concentrations.” Noting they do not have jurisdiction over town water service, councilors advised Kemble to contact the water district with her concerns.
For more news about the South Berwick Town Council, visit seacoastonline.com.