Water Quality Conservation Essay

Water Quality Conservation: India is thrived with diverse geological formations from oldest Achaeans to recent alluviums and characterized by varying climatic conditions in different parts of the country. Naturally the groundwater quality is influenced by depth of soils and sub-surface geological formations through which ground water remains in contact. In general, large amount of ground water quality of the country is potable and also suitable for other purpose too. Generally the ground water in shallow aquifers is suitable for different purposes and contains Calcium Bicarbonate, Sodium chloride and mixed type. The quality of deep aquifers varies from place to place and found suitable for common uses. There is salinity problem in coastal areas and high incidence of fluoride, arsenic, iron and heavy metals etc. have been reported. (17)

The main ground water quality problems in India are as follows:

1. Salinity: Salinity in ground water can be of broadly categorized into two types: i.e. inland salinity and coastal salinity.

a. Inland salinity: In ground water, inland salinity is dispersed mainly in the arid and semi-arid areas of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. There are several places in Rajasthan and Southern Haryana where Electrical Conductivity values of Ground water are quite high making the water not used for drinking purpose. In some areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat, the salinity of Ground water is so high that the water is directly used for manufacturing of salt. Another reason that results in inland salinity is the practice of surface water irrigation without considering the status of ground water. The gradual increase in ground water levels with time results in ...

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... marks the beginning of a strategy that no considered longer potable water to be a free good, the provision of which should be the responsibility of the government. In principle, SRP is aimed at improving the sustainability of water supply systems and sources, besides ensuring effective implementation of schemes. (12)

SRP was introduced with a view to institutionalizing (a) community participation and (b) demand driven strategy. The cardinal principles of implementation have been awareness creation, popular participation, functional transparency, and stakeholder accountability. The reform process has been has been implemented through the SRP on a pilot basis in 63 districts in India. In Gujarat, the selected pilot districts are Mehsana, Surat and Rajkot. Apart from the time over-run, some of the key aspects of this programme have not fared well in the states. (12)