Less than one third of the sewage gets treated in the country. This stunning fact has emerged in a report of Central Pollution Control Board. Out of an estimated 38254 million litres sewage generated daily in major cities and towns, only 11787 million litres can be treated. This information was given in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today by Water Resources minister Harish Rawat. He said due to rapid growth in population, industrialisation and changing lifestyle, the demand of water is going up. The Central Water Commission has estimated average annual water availability in the country to be 1869 billion cubic metres.

In reply to another question, Mr Rawat mentioned that 66 million people living in endemic areas are at risk of high level of the fluoride in drinking water.