Fluoride affected districts in India
CGWB's pre-monsoon 2023 samples found fluoride above the limit (over 1.5 mg/l) in at least one well in 259 districts across 19 states. Long use stains and pits teeth (dental fluorosis) and can stiffen bones and joints (skeletal fluorosis).
By state
| State | Districts affected | Samples over the limit |
|---|---|---|
| Rajasthan | 31 | 43.17% of 630 |
| Telangana | 27 | 14.87% of 1,150 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 27 | 5.7% of 1,387 |
| Gujarat | 25 | 13.92% of 632 |
| Tamil Nadu | 21 | 9.72% of 916 |
| Karnataka | 18 | 17.68% of 345 |
| Haryana | 17 | 23.66% of 879 |
| Punjab | 17 | 13.77% of 922 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 16 | 11.31% of 1,149 |
| Maharashtra | 10 | 1.91% of 1,567 |
| Odisha | 10 | 4.48% of 625 |
| Chhattisgarh | 8 | 1.79% of 783 |
| Jharkhand | 8 | 2.77% of 397 |
| Bihar | 6 | 4.58% of 808 |
| Delhi | 6 | 16.5% of 103 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 6 | 1.02% of 589 |
| West Bengal | 3 | 0.73% of 959 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 2 | 1.17% of 171 |
| Kerala | 1 | 0.29% of 342 |
What to do about it
RO or activated alumina filters remove fluoride; rainwater, which has almost none, is a safe drinking source when stored clean.
Source: Annual Ground Water Quality Report 2024 (Report on Groundwater Quality of Shallow Aquifers in India 2024), Central Ground Water Board. A district is listed when at least one sample was over the limit, so not every well there is affected.