Environment Conservation Journal 11(3) 161-169, 2010

(ISSN 0972-3099) Abstracted and Indexed

Freshwater: Resources and Pollution

Gagan Matta

Received: 12-09-2010 Accepted: 15-11-2010

Abstract
Today with the rapid increase in the population, the gap between demand and supply of resources has been doubled. To
overcome this gap increase in industrial revolution came into existence causing the severe damage to nature and its
resources. Today our aim is not only to overcome the gap between demand and supply but also to manage these resources
so that our future generations can also use them. Water, everyone’s need is the major resource which is severely affected
and being polluted enormously. In context of India if we look towards our biggest river basin i.e. River Ganga, nourishing
the agricultural fields, providing water for domestic and commercial purposes is majorly polluted due to industrial
effluents and chemicals. We still have our resources plenty in amount but only if we manage them properly with new
management techniques. We are the caretakers of these resources, not owners; all these resources belong to our future
generations.

Keywords: Water, Management, Resources, Pollution

Introduction
Water, like other primordial elements was revered the Nile, in fact, evolution of human cultures and
and worshipped since Vedic times. The Rig Veda civilization has revolved around river systems, in
says: “Agni and water are givers and sustainers of other words human history can generally be
life, they are affectionate mothers, givers of all considered to be water-centered. The main reason
givers of life, they have healing powers”. If it was of the development of civilization and habitats
true then, it is truer now as never before. along the banks of rivers was easy availability of
Through our history water has been a natural water for drinking, farming, and transportation
resource critical to human survival. Water a was an important requirement for survival. In
substance which is flowing, swirling and seeping, other words human history can, in fact, be written
constantly moving from sea to land and back in terms of interactions and interrelations between
again. It not only shape’s the earth but moderate humans and water.
our climate also. If we see our body composition, World’s water resources consist of fresh water
we found 60% of our body is water. Water found on and under the Earth’s surface, and the
dissolve nutrients and distributes them to cells, immense salt-water reserves of the oceans. Since
regulates body temperature, support body structure fresh water is used to meet most of our current
and removes waste products. Water is the only needs it has become the focus of immediate
medium in which all living processes occur. concern. With population growth and industrial
The great rivers, like mothers, nourished development on the increase, demand on limited
civilizations such as Indus Valley, the Sumerian or supplies is likely to intensify still further. Both the
Author’s Address Millennium Development Goals and the
Department of Zoology and Environmental Science, Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable
Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar, U.K. (India) Development recognize the need to provide
E-mail:[email protected] greater access to clean fresh water, to improve

Copyright by ASEA
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 Gagan Matta

sanitation, and to produce integrated plans for the the influences of contamination, pollution and
development of this universal resource. other human contributions shrinking the supply of
Fortune magazine stated that, in a world fleeing drinkable water further.
the vagaries of technology stocks, the water The decreasing supply of water arises from the
industry is the best investment for the century. The meager absolute natural endowments of water
World Bank places the value of the current water the earth is blessed with as well as from the
market at close to $1 trillion. With only 5 percent meager natural endowments relative to
of the world's population currently getting its increasing growth of population, and their
water from corporations, the profit potential is
increasing demands for use and misuse.
unlimited. Water from a fundamental right and
necessity for survival has become a product of During the last fifty years, human population
profit in the market. has increased by 240 percent to 6 billion
The total amount of water available on earth has people. By 2050, human population is
been estimated at 1.4 billion cubic kilometers, estimated to be at 9 billion people. India with
enough to cover the planet with a layer of about 3 1 billion people at present is projected to
km deep. About 95% of the earth’s water is in the become the most populace country before the
oceans, which is unfit for human consumption and middle of next century. Global consumption
other use because of its high salt content; about of water is doubling every 20 years, more than
4% is locked in the polar ice caps; and the twice the rate of human population growth.
remaining 1% constituents all the freshwater in According to the United Nations, more than
hydrological cycle including ground water
one billion people on earth already lack access
reserves. Only 0.1% is available in as fresh water
in rivers, lakes and streams, which is suitable for to fresh drinking water. By 2025, if the current
human consumption. This shows that at what level trends persist, the demand for freshwater is
we need the water for the survival of life on earth. expected to rise to 56 percent above the
The above statistics of availability are devoid of amount currently available.

Fresh water Liquid water

2.4 % 13 %

Soil moisture
2%
Ground water
Oceans and Ice and snow
95%
saline 87 %
lakes 97.6 %

Lakes,
Rivers 3 %

Total water Total fresh Liquid

on Earth water fresh water

Figure 1: Distribution of water in different forms

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According to National Water Policy, 2002 “Water Continuously increasing scarcity, defines the
is a prime natural resource, a basic human need status of the global water situation. In short, water
and a precious national asset. Planning is becoming globally scarce in availability and
development and management of water resources where available, further scarce through misuse,
need to be governed by national perspectives”. A poor water management and inefficient
combined study conducted by United Nations distribution system.
International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) According to latest census, India’s population is
and the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature about 1020 million, which is projected to go up to
revealed the alarming situation of fresh water 1333 million by A.D. 2025 and further to 1640
depletion in the country. The main cause was million by A.D. 2050 for feeding a population of
found of the decline of the quality and quantity of 1.64 billion, nearly 450 million tones of food
the presently available water resources is due to: grains would be required by the year 2050,
(1) increase in the population (2) improper production of which would be a gigantic task
resource management (3) pollution in water considering the constraints being faced in the
sources (4) Shortcomings in the design and irrigation sector, including irrigation water
implementation of legislation and regulations, resources. If we see the situation in India as
which address these problems. regards availability of water is paradox. The
The demand for water needed for the mere country accounts for 2.45 per cent of the total land
purposes of survival is compounded by the need of area and 4 per cent of the water resources of the
water for industries, agriculture, livestock world. Nevertheless, water is a scarce national
maintenance and other activities. Thus, with water resource with demands on it increasing on account
being the essence for human survival and a of a growing population of over one billion. Much
necessity for carrying out all human activities, of the available surface water and ground water
there can be no decrease in the demand for water, estimated at 1869 billion cubic metre is presently
not even a slump but only an ever-increasing unable to be harnessed for use on account of
demand. This holds sadly true with the running topographical and other constraints. India is at the
down of its finite supply. In other words, scarcity 133rd position among 180 countries and as regards
of water is continuously increasing. ‘Scarcity’ is a the quality of the water available, it is 120th
term often associated with the developing world, among 122 countries. Of the present water usage
be it food, medicines, schools etc. But when it is a in India, 92 per cent is devoted to agriculture;
matter of water scarcity, the developed world and around 3 per cent is used by industries and only 5
the developing world equally suffer. North per cent for domestic purposes like drinking water
America (New Jersey, Carolinas, Texas) is facing and sanitation. The picture gets complicated by the
the problems of water shortages just as the people other constraints. 40 million hectare of land in the
of Asia, Africa and Latin America. The scarcity country is flood prone and an average, floods
arises in both the developed and the developing affect an area of around 7.5 million hectare per
world, not just because of decreasing water year. One-sixth area of the country is drought
availability from the sources of water supply, but prone. Water pollution is a serious problem with
also due to the inefficient working of the water 70 per cent of India’s surface water resources and
supply system. The water distribution system an increasing number of its ground water reserves
remains inefficient, more so in the developing standing contaminated by biological, toxic organic
world. Further with intensive urbanization, and inorganic pollutants. The National Water
deforestation, water diversion and industrial Policy advocates a participatory approach to
farming, water available in cities and villages management of water resources and non-
suffer from lack of quality and irregular supply. conventional methods for utilization of water like

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artificial recharge of ground water and traditional and socio-economic conditions of the system (ii)
water conservation practices like rain water regulatory provisions (iii) regulatory interventions;
harvesting. With water being a scarce resource, its (iv) costs and benefits of management activities
sharing and distribution requires a regulatory and interventions. Some of the issues which will
framework which is brought about through not emerge in groundwater development and
only written laws but also traditional and management are: (i) the protection of ground
customary practices. At this stage it’s too water against pollution and aquifer remediation (ii)
important to develop the educational level of water the ground water depletion requiring practicing of
management, sustainable use of water resources. artificial recharge using different methods to
utilize monsoon runoff and wastewater from
Major water resources different sources; (iii) the management of trans
Distribution of water compartments in which boundary aquifers; (iv) regulate the ground water
water is present are in different forms. Nearly all development and formulation of an exclusive
the world’s water is in the oceans. Oceans play a National Groundwater Policy defining the
crucial role in moderating the earth’s temperature, custodianship of natural and recharge
and over 90 percent of the world’s living biomass groundwater; (v) the management of water logged
is contained in the oceans. What we mainly need and inland Salinity areas; (vi) updating the
though is fresh water. Of the 2.4 % which is technologies of tackling the groundwater quality
locked up in ground water and huge glaciers in problems of fluoride, arsenic, nitrate and
various parts of the earth. Accessible water for selenium.With stimulated models and optimization
human beings and to other organism is 0.1% of the methods as the new methods for the management
total freshwater present on earth. of ground water management which finally
produces a single programme that optimizes
Ground water resources management objective while meeting physical and
In India ground water contributes 70-80% of technical constraints on ground water behaviour,
agricultural produce in India, about four fifth of we can not only prejudge the results of our
the domestic water supply in rural areas and about management techniques used but also save the
50% of urban and industrial uses. In the most time and money, which leads to sustainable
developing countries as ours, most of the water development.
sources of freshwater, especially in outskirts of
large cities and villages are polluted. Continuous Table 1: Earth’s Major Water Compartments
flow of industrial effluents and sewage in the Compartments Volume % of total
ground the water has become the store house of (1,000 km3) water
various kinds of bacteria’s and viruses also. Total 1,386,000 100
Assessment of ground water resources has been Oceans 1,338,000 96.5
made at 431.9 BCM by the Central Ground Water Ice and snow 24,364 1.76
Board through a large volume of hydrologic and Saline groundwater 12,870 0.93
related data. This is the sum total of potential due Freshwater 10,530 0.76
to natural recharge from rainfall and due to Fresh lakes 91 0.007
recharge contributions from canal irrigation. The Saline lakes 85 0.006
utilizable ground water resources have been
Soil moisture 16.5 0.001
assessed at 395.6 BCM (70.0 BCM for domestic
Atmosphere 12.9 0.001
and industrial uses and 325.6 BCM for irrigation).
Marshes, wetlands 11.5 0.001
A management approach is said to be perfect, if
the demand side of the elements of interest balance Rivers, streams 2.12 0.0002
Living organisms 1.12 0.0001
with its supply-side inputs. In case of groundwater
Source: UNEP, 2002
management, the elements are: (i) hydrogeologic

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 Fresh water: Resources
Surface water
Fresh, flowing surface water is one of our most Water is an indispensable need of life. It is
precious resources. Rivers, lakes, wetlands are the necessary to develop a suitable and sustainable
main sources of surface water. Rivers flowing technique to protect and manage the quality and
from various mountain ranges having a minute resources not only from biological and
amount of water level of water in rivers depends biodegradable pollutants but also from toxic
upon the precipitation and on the icecaps which inorganic compounds and non-biodegradable
melts in summer thus increasing the water level in wastes. Hence the whole water system should be
the rivers. The sixteen largest rivers in the world examined and proper management methods should
carry nearly half of all surface runoff on the earth, be developed with latest technologies like models
and a large fraction of that occurs in a single river, to preserve and maintain the water quality of the
the Amazon, which carries ten times as much surface water.
water as the Mississippi.
The main river systems of the country are the Table 2: World’s ten largest river
Indus and the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna River Location Annual
(Barak) system. The Ganga rising from the snow Discharge
capped Himalayan mountains, flows through the (m3/ Second)*
great indo-gangetic plains. The Brahmaputra rises Amazon Brazil, Peru 175,000
in Tibet where it is known as the Tsangpo and runs Orinoco Venezuela, 45,300
a long distance until it crosses over into India in Colombia
Arunachal Pradesh under the name of Siang or Congo Congo 39,200
Dihang. The Ganges and the Brahmaputra join
Yangtze Tibet, 28,000
inside Bangladesh and continue to flow under the
China
name Padma forming the Sunderban delta.
Brahmaputra India 19,000
Holy River Ganga, along with its tributaries forms
Mississippi United 18,400
the largest river basin of India is a symbol of
states
purity. But with rapid growth in population and
pollution is severely polluted, that is in utter Mekong Southeast 18,300
disregard to its sanctity. Not only River Ganga Asia
other river of the country also facing the same Parana Paraguay, 18,000
problem at different level. Many cities of the Agerntina
country like Kanpur situated near River Ganga and Yenisey Russia 17,200
Delhi situated near Yamuna are facing drinking Lena Russia 16,000
problems. People living near to these water bodies * 1 m3 = 264 gal.
are found to be affected by many diseases like Source: Data from World Resource Institute.
malaria, cholera etc.
Inspite of being the life line of the country, and Water pollution
having much dependency of peoples from Today human activities are constantly adding
industries to domestic use these major fresh water industrial, domestic and agricultural wastes to
bodies are severely being polluted. The rapid pace water bodies at an alarming rate. The main sources
of industrialization and urbanization has posed a of pollution in Indian freshwater bodies are
serious threat to these vast varieties of water through effluent discharge from industries,
resources. Effluents from various industries pesticide leaching from agricultural fields, oil
with having excessive concentration of nitrates spills from oil tankers and boats, sewage and
and phosphates causes well known lake waste disposal and retting of coconut husk along
eutrophication, disrupting the whole aquatic estuaries and backwaters.
environment.

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According to reports more than 90% of the Water management

industries in India do not have adequate facilities According to World Bank report today, about 700
to treat the effluents and as a result huge quantities million people live in countries experiencing water
of untreated effluents containing chemicals and stress or scarcity. By 2035, it is projected that 3
wastes are discharged into the aquatic environment billion people will be living in conditions of severe
leading to serious consequences in the water stress. Many countries with limited water
environment. availability depend on shared water resources,
The availability of water, both in quality and increasing the risk of conflict over these scarce
quantity, is one of the prime factors in deciding the resources.
growth of towns and cities as well as industries. Water resource management is the integrating
For industries, the available of water must be as concept for a number of water sub-sectors. Use of
near as possible to the factory site and should also an integrated water resources perspective ensures
be soft otherwise the manufacturing cost will that social, economic, environmental, and
increase. technical dimensions are taken into account in the
Pollution from factories, power plants, sewage management and development of surface waters
treatment plants, underground coal mines and oil (rivers, lakes, and wetlands) and groundwater.
wells are classified as point sources of pollution, The lack of water resources experienced in
being discharged from specific locations. With this different parts of the world has now been
kind of pollution sources it is possible to treat the recognized and analyzed by different international
effluents before they enter into the water bodies. organizations such as WHO, the World Bank etc.
Pollution from soil erosion, chemical runoff, and Recently published documents from the UN
animal waste pollution are all examples of non- Environment Programme confirms that severe
point source pollution. Non-point source pollution water shortage affects 400 million people today
refers to pollutants that come from a widespread and will affect 4 billion people by 2050 (Thomas
area and cannot be tracked to a single point or and Durham, 2003).
source. Non-point source pollution is major water IWRM was previously mentioned in the
quality problem by sheer volume and in terms of Millennium Development Declaration of the UN,
current and future economic costs because it not (Nations, 2000) article 23 “To stop the
only affects the surface water quality but also unsustainable exploitation of water resources by
decline the productivity of agriculture fields also. developing water management strategies at the
During the past two decades, the public has regional, national and local levels, which promote
become increasingly concerned with hazardous both equitable access and adequate supplies.” This
and toxic materials discharged into the aquatic approach includes the:
environment. Due to the development of more  Development of alternative water
industries, increased urbanization and reclamation resource;
of areas, the environment is under severe stress  Protection of water resource to stabilize
and these create an unfavourable situation for and improve its quality and quantity;
aquatic organisms to live. The pollutants can  Demand management implemented at the
weaken the organisms making it susceptible to level of each river basin.
disease or they cause disease directly. Toxicants or
other stressful situations may enhance the disease. If we are agreeing to consume water despite the
A proper monitoring of water resources pollution recognition that there is a growing crisis of
and enforcement of strict measures to control scarcity then we have to decide who gets to make
pollution would help enhancing the productivity of decisions about that process? Is it the role of
the aquatic environment. government, in which case we should discuss
mechanisms and bureaucratic modalities for water
governance or, is it up to the individual as

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regulated by civil society? Writers considering which store precious ground water, have lost their
sustainable development (Chambers,1997; World water holding capacities due to massive
Bank, 2003), common pool resource management deforestation such as those experienced in
(Korten, 1986; Berkes, 1989; Poffenberger, 1990; Indonesia and the Philippines. Over-exploitation
Western and Wright 1994; Ostrom, et al. 2002; of water sources for industrial and domestic
Deitz, et al. 2003), and global norms in water purposes has contributed to the rapid depletion of
management policy (WMO, 1992; OECD, 1998; already limited freshwater resources. These
Kemper, et al. 2003) all have come to point in the disruptions have severely compromised the ability
same direction: (1) all resources, especially water of the forests to “catch” and then “shed” the water
resources, need to be managed, (2) decision into streams, rivers and reservoirs, as well as the
making across multiple levels fosters capacity of aquifers to recharge.
sustainability, and (3) communities, especially The extremely rich biodiversity of Southeast Asia
rural communities, have a greater interest in is a testament to the abundance of freshwater
managing resources sustainably than state or systems and high rainfall that support life. The
corporate managers. Communities are more aware Ganga river of India, Mekong River of Mainland
of local environmental processes, and thus can be Southeast Asia, Chao Phraya of Thailand, and the
mobilized to manage the resource within multi- other rivers and lakes of the region are important
level natural resource use regimes. In the water sources of food, water for various uses, medicines,
sector, these assumptions codified in the Dublin energy, minerals, etc. More importantly, these
Accords are reflected in attempts at surface waters as well as the underground aquifers
complementing centralized physical infrastructure provide communities with drinking water.
with lower cost community-scale systems, Water management and conservation are also
decentralized and open decision making, water economically and environmentally sound ways to
markets and equitable pricing, application of prevent and over come the problems like floods
efficient technology, and environmental protection and drought damages and store water for future
(Gleick 2003). The four ‘Dublin Principles’ read : use than building huge dams and reservoirs. A
series of small dams on tributary streams can hold
Principle No. 1—Fresh water is a finite and back water before it becomes a flood. Ponds
vulnerable resource, essential to formed by these dams provide useful wildlife
sustain life, development and the habitat and stock-watering facilities. They also
environment. catch soil where it could be returned to the fields.
Principle No. 2—Water development and Small dams can be built with simple equipment
management should be based on a and local labour, eliminating the need for massive
participatory approach, involving construction projects and huge dams.
users, planners and policy makers Another important tool is the development of
at all levels. country water resources assistance strategies
Principle No. 3—Women play a central part in the (listed on the left), which describe what the Bank
provision, management and can and will do to help improve water resources
safeguarding of water. management in a country. These strategies can
Principle No. 4—Water has an economic value in improve the strategic focus of water-related
all its competing uses and should activities, stimulate coordination across water-
be recognized as an economic related sectors within the Bank and the country,
good. and engage regional and global water knowledge.
To mitigate the adverse impacts of water pollution,
Unfortunately, the development path that countries suitable measures are to be evolved through
in Southeast Asia have taken is one that is highly comprehensive water management studies. The
disruptive to the hydrological cycles. Aquifers, change in human attitude towards water resources

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is also important as the resources are not unlimited the best available scientific knowledge is brought
and moreover they must be preserved for future to bear on the creation of water laws and policies,
generations. Steps like interlinking of the flowing as well as their implementation. Science has to
rivers flowing within the Indian Territory. States learn to address a different type of knowledge that
with flowing rivers must behave with a level of lies outside its traditional boundaries.
maturity and the Centre should act as a mediator. As scientific knowledge grows, there comes the
In this way water could reach through out the need for social responsibility. Further, such
country and droughts can be prevented. knowledge growth becomes available for
Water management or conservation is not a single adaptation in differing situations. There is an
handed process nor fulfilled without the immediate need of nationwide consensus to adapt
participation of local people, it’s a collective effort to river and water resources management. We
of the community and legal system. Community believe that this is achievable through pursuance
should initiate the resource management in every of scientific studies, ‘correct’ perception of
part of the micro-watershed or even at the macro- scientific outputs and, through persuasion of
watershed level this will increase the public planners and policy makers to develop suitable
awareness, conducting research, providing basic policies. With reference to coastal systems
infrastructure (waste disposal systems), technical management in India, bridging natural sciences,
assistance whenever needed and last but not least social sciences and policies is imperative to further
they can help us to predict more accurately what endorse the truism that ‘coasts protect those who
will the output of our techniques as the local protect coasts’.
people are more aware of the past and present If we are to protect our valuable water resources,
condition. changes have to be made in the way we see and
treat our environment. The real solutions to protect
Conclusion water quality must begin at the sources of
Water is needed in all aspects of life. The general pollution. One such effective and lasting measure
objective is to make certain that adequate supplies is the implementation of clean production
of water of good quality are maintained for the processes. By eliminating the use of toxics from
entire population of this planet, while preserving the very first step of production by which pollution
the hydrological, biological and chemical of water sources can be effectively prevented.
functions of ecosystems, adapting human activities Our constant exposure to polluted fresh water
within the capacity limits of nature and combating sources—clogged, or foul smelling river and lakes,
vectors of water-related diseases. Innovative as well as contaminated groundwater—have made
technologies, including the improvement of water pollution a reality which we have learned to
indigenous technologies, are needed to fully utilize accept. Thus, we focussed on technology meant to
limited water resources and to safeguard those ‘clean up’ pollution rather than to prevent it, and
resources against pollution. drafted laws that merely regulate the extent of
Looking at the Water Framework Directive from toxicity in water, rather than prohibit it
India’s perspective, it is particularly relevant to completely.
note that this philosophy of water management, We must learn to unlearn this ‘reality.’ Clean
despite its roots in a society that pre-dates modern water is the given we must protect if we are to
society by over fifteen centuries, is based on ensure that our water will continue to sustain life
science and technology. Modern water law and well into the future.
policy cannot exist without active participation Beau
from science. Yet, science cannot make judicial Baconguis,Toxics
and policy decisions. In the larger scheme of Campaigner, Greenpeace
democratic governance, science, scientists, and Southeast
scientific institutions have an obligation to see that

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