Deterioration of Water Quality 

• Water quality refers to purity of water, or water without unwanted foreign substances. Water gets polluted by foreign matters such as micro- organisms, chemicals, industrial and other wastes.
• The Ganga and the Yamuna are the two highly polluted rivers in the country Water Conservation and Management
• water availability from sea/ocean, due to high cost of desalinisation, is considered negligible, India has to take quick steps and make effective policies and laws, and adopt effective measures for its conservation. 
• Besides developing water saving technologies and methods, attempts are also to be made to prevent the pollution. 
• There is need to encourage watershed development, rainwater harvesting, water recycling and reuse, and conjunctive use of water for sustaining water supply in long run.

Prevention of Water Pollution

• The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in collaboration with State Pollution Control Boards has been monitoring water quality of national aquatic resources at 507 stations.
• The data obtained from these stations show that organic and bacterial contamination continues to be the main source of pollution in rivers. The Yamuna river is the most polluted river in the country between Delhi and Etawah.
• Groundwater pollution has occurred due to high concentrations of heavy/toxic metals, fluoride and nitrates at different parts of the country.
• The legislative provisions such as the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974, and Environment Protection Act 1986 have not been implemented effectively.
• The Water Cess Act, 1977, meant to reduce pollution has also made marginal impacts.
• There is a strong need to generate public awareness about importance of water and impacts of water pollution.

Recycle and Reuse of Water

• Another way through which we can improve fresh water availability is by recycle and reuse. 
• Use of water of lesser quality such as reclaimed waste-water would be an attractive option for industries for cooling and fire fighting to reduce their water cost.

Watershed Management

• Watershed management basically refers to efficient management and conservation of surface and groundwater resources.
• It involves prevention of runoff and storage and recharge of groundwater through various methods like percolation tanks, recharge wells, etc. 
• However, in broad sense watershed management includes conservation, regeneration and judicious use of all resources – natural (like land, water, plants and animals) and human with in a watershed.
• Watershed management aims at bringing about balance between natural resources on the one hand and society on the other. The success of watershed development largely depends upon community participation
• Haryali is a watershed development project sponsored by the Central Government which aims at enabling the rural population to conserve water for drinking, irrigation, fisheries and afforestation. The Project is being executed by Gram Panchayats with people‟s participation.
• Neeru-Meeru (Water and You) programme (in Andhra Pradesh) and Arvary Pani Sansad (in Alwar, Rajasthan) have taken up constructions ofvarious waterharvesting structures such as percolation tanks, dug out ponds (Johad), check dams, etc. through people‟s participation.

Rain water Harvesting

• Rain water harvesting is a method to capture and store rainwater for various uses. It is also used to recharge groundwater aquifers. 
• It is a low cost and eco-friendly technique for preserving every drop of water by guiding the rain water to bore well, pits and wells.
• Rainwater harvesting increases water availability, checks the declining ground water table, improves the quality of groundwater through dilution of contaminants like fluoride and nitrates, prevents soil erosion, and flooding and arrests salt water intrusion in coastal areas if used to recharge aquifers.

Highlights of India’s National Water Policy, 2002

• The National Water Policy 2002 stipulates water allocation priorities broadly in the following order: drinking water; irrigation, hydro-power, navigation, industrial and other uses. The policy stipulates progressive new approaches to water management. Key features include: 
• Irrigation and multi-purpose projects should invariably include drinking water component, wherever there is no alternative source of drinking water.
• Providing drinking water to all human beings and animals should be the first priority. 
• Measures should be taken to limit and regulate the exploitation of groundwater.
• Both surface and groundwater should be regularly monitored for quality. A phased programme should be undertaken for improving water quality.
• The efficiency of utilisation in all the diverse uses of water should be improved. 
• Awareness of water as a scarce resource should be fostered.
• Conservation consciousness should be promoted through education, regulation, incentives and disincentives.