Selection of the topic:

Water is a vital constituent for life support. The conservation and keeping up a good
supply of water is thus very essential. The presence/addition of undesirable
substances in water is referred to as water contamination. Natural, inorganic,
chemical, radiological, and thermal contaminants impair the consistency of water,
rendering it unsafe for drinking or usage.

As per Hindustan Times report dated Oct 05, 2017, Maharashtra has the most
polluted rivers in India.

As per Times Of India Report Jan 16, 2015, The quality of drinking water supplied in
many parts of the Aurangabad has become a cause of concern with the
possibilities of a rise in water-borne diseases from the affected areas. The latest
drinking water quality monitoring report by the Aurangabad Health Department and
district health laboratory has revealed that 4,387 of the 14,664 water samples collected
last year were contaminated. The almost 30% water contamination has rung alarm bells
within the district administration.

Importance of topic:

If the correct measures are not put in place, the world is likely to sink into a water crisis. The most affected
will be countries with a hot, dry climate.
For this reason, governments, as well as every individual, should strive to properly manage water resources.
Water bodies need to be protected from pollution.
Objectives of the proejct work:
The objective of controlling water pollution is to safeguard life of both animals and plants since water is the
source of life. Most human activities like the release of chemicals into the water bodies is one of the causes
of water pollution.

Project work methodology :

Types of Sources of Water Pollution

The two types of sources of water pollution are:

Point Source

When pollutants are discharged from a specific location such as a drainpipe carrying
industrial effluents discharged directly into a water body it represents point source
pollution.
Non-point Source

Pollution discharged from diffused sources or over a wider area, such as runoff from
farm fields, grazing lands, construction sites, abandoned mines, roads and highways,
are examples of non-point sources.

What are the Causes of Water Pollution?

It is necessary to discuss the sources of water pollution while discussing what are the
causes of water pollution. The main reasons for pollution of water are their sources. 
Domestic Waste

The main sources of domestic waste are household detergents and sewage. It is
generated from household activities like washing products, waste food and lots of
other domestic items. The sewage, if not treated before being discharged, pollutes the
water bodies.

Industrial Waste

Industries use water for many purposes such as processing, cooling and treatment of
materials at various stages of production.

Nutrients Pollution

This is one of the main reasons of pollution in water bodies. Nutrient levels are high in
some wastewater, fertilisers, and sewage. If they end up in bodies of water, they
promote the growth of algae and weeds. When there are so many algae in the water,
all of the oxygen is used up, and the species in the water die from lack of oxygen.
Surface water contamination applies to natural water found on the surface of the
earth, such as rivers, lakes, lagoons, and the ocean. Surface water contamination
applies to natural water found on the surface of the earth, such as rivers, lakes,
lagoons, and the ocean. The reasons of pollution of surface water is Hazardous
substances coming into contact with this surface water, dissolving or mixing physically
with the water can be called surface water pollution. This is the major causes of water
pollution.

Chemical Water Pollution 

Many industries and farmers work with chemicals that end up in the water is called
chemical water pollution. These include chemicals that are used to control weeds,
insects, and pests. Metals and solvent from industries can pollute water bodies. These
are poisonous to many forms of aquatic life and may slow their development, make
them infertile and kill them.

Oxygen Depleting 

Water bodies have microorganisms. When there is too much biodegradable matter
(material that degrades quickly) in the water, it promotes microorganism activity,
which consumes more oxygen. When oxygen is scarce, aerobic organisms perish,
while anaerobic organisms prosper, creating dangerous toxins like ammonia and
sulphides.

Pollutants of Water Pollution

Pollutants of water pollution are agents that cause water pollution. The major water
pollutants are 

 Microorganism- bacteria and viruses are the main components.

 Toxic organics- DDT, aldrin, endosulfan, chlordane, and malathion.
  Heavy Metals- Arsenic, chromium, lead, copper, and iron.
 Gross Pollutants
 Oils, detergents, and shampoo.
 Sediments.
 Nutrients.
 Oxygen demanding substances.

A study was undertaken to monitor the water quality of Kham River in

Aurangabad city. Kham River is one of the major rivers in the city. Study area of 8
km's was selected and 8 sampling stations were located. The study was carried
out from July 2016 to January 2018 for 3 month interval. The parameters studied
were pH, Dissolved oxygen, Biochemical oxygen demand, Total dissolved solids
and Total suspended solids. From this study it was observed that the Kham River
is heavily polluted due to presence of untreated sewage in the downstream side
of study area. It is concluded that the quality of water is not at all suitable as per
prescribed standards for domestic purpose in the downstream of study area.

Observations:
Prevention of water pollution:

10 ways to control water pollution:

 Laws: One of the strict and best way to prevent water pollution is to implement

proper laws. Anyone found breaking the law should be imposed a high amount
of fine. When people lose their minds, laws can bring them to the right path.
 Sewage Treatments: Another method of preventing water pollution is to treat
the sewage properly. Adequate care should be taken to ensure that effective
sewage treatment process is in place and that contaminated water does not get
mixed with the environment.
 Plastic: They are very harmful for the water sources. They are non degradable
and stay in its original form for a long period of time. Plastics should not be
thrown into the water bodies. They can be harmful for the animals breeding in
water.
 Wastes from farms: The various chemicals such as insecticides, pesticides etc
should not be dumped directly into the water bodies. There should be a proper
garbage disposal system.
  Medicinal wastes: The waste product of hospitals are very unhygienic. There
should be no way that they come in contact with the water bodies. The used
products of hospitals should be burnt properly. They should be treated and not
directly sent to the rivers, seas, etc.
 Household disposal: It is said that charity begins at home. So the basic step is
not to dump the household wastes into the water bodies. It is a very significant
step. Every household should have a proper disposal system to dump its wastes.
 Oil spills: These are very dangerous to our water bodies. It can’t completely be
resolved but steps should be taken to decrease the oil spill. When these oil get
in touch with water they do not mix with it. It strives a threat to the organisms
living in the water.
 Religious activities: India, being a religious country, takes its rivers very
seriously. They consider them to be the Almighty and conduct various activities
near them. It makes the water very dirty. Such activities should be stopped
immediately.
 Public Awareness: Education is the key. The more educated a person is, the
better is his civic sense. People should be made aware about the demerits of
water pollution, the harm that pollution can cause. It will make them understand
the need to sustain the water bodies.
 Plantation: In the end, trees always come to our rescue. It is very important to
grow more trees. It also helps in preventing water pollution. They protect the
nearby water supply from pollutants. They also limits the Carbon Dioxide in the
water, which balances out its pH level system for these.

Analysis of data :
1.  Groundwater Survey and Development agency (water supply and sanitation Department, GoM)
First Water testing  laboratory was set up at Pune to check the quality of ground water quality.
The main objective of setting up the laboratory is to check the ground water quality and
recommend whether it is suitable for drinking, domestic use, agriculture and industry.
2.  With the development of groundwater, the scope for determining groundwater quality increased
drastically. The laboratory at Pune was decentralized in 1988 and departmental laboratories were
set up at Pune, Konkan Bhavan, Nashik, Aurangabad, Amravati, Nagpur. and it was easy to get
water samples from the districts in each division as per the objectives. 
The main objective of the laboratory is to provide pure drinking water to the people in rural
areas and to solve the problem of drinking water in villages with water quality problems.
 3. Groundwater quality Monitoring and surveillance program was started from 2001 under
hydrology project. In this, a network of observation wells was created. Three types of sites have
been included in the observation wells.
   a. Baseline Stations
    b. Trend Stations
   c. Trend cum Surveillance Stations
4. In Maharashtra, 3,370 infrastructure sites have been identified to monitor groundwater quality.
Of these, 975 have been identified as Trend Stations and Trend cum Surveillance Stations. Wells,
bore wells and piezometers were selected for monitoring. WQDES_GW is software created.
5.  In order to bring uniformity in the method of water quality monitoring, the Ministry of
Environment and Forests, New Delhi Uniform Drinking water Protocol for Water Quality
Monitoring has been issued in the Gazette on 18/6/2005.
6. Samples analysis is to be done twice a year (pre-monsoon and post-monsoon) for a total of 19
Parameters.
7. The total annual target of the State was 7200 samples as per the annual target of 1200 samples
per laboratory.
8.  Preparation of Groundwater Quality Layer under Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water
Campaign (RGNDWM Phase - IV Preparation of Groundwater Quality Layer) during the period of
24 months from October 2011 to October 2013. Is being implemented jointly. The segregation
work has been completed by collecting an average of 30 to 40 water samples per topsheet
through groundwater survey and development systems. A total of 26,404 groundwater samples
were collected from all the districts of the state during the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon
periods. Groundwater quality maps will be prepared through Maharashtra Remote Sensing
Organization (MRSAC) Nagpur. This will be used to get information about the quality of
groundwater in Maharashtra.
9.  New chemical laboratories have been set up in Chandrapur, Akola, Yavatmal and Jalgaon
districts and analysis of drinking water samples is being started there soon. The scope of ground
water quality testing in the district will be increased in four district laboratories. Apart from this,
in the year 2014-15, as per the government suggestion, action is being taken to implement water
testing laboratories at 23 more district and 138 sub-divisional levels.
10.  Inspection of water samples on commercial basis under private demand. As per the Government
Resolution dated November 2, 1998, component wise charges were fixed for conducting
chemical and biological testing of water on commercial basis by private individuals.
11. Water quality information from the state is used to detect water quality problems and maps like
ISO-TDS, fluoride iron, and nitrate (zone maps) are created. With the help of these maps it was
convenient for the planner to deploy.

Results and Conclusions:-

Aurangabad is at the edge of being a water polluted city. The administration is trying its best
to clean the polluted water and also to prevent water pollution.

Following are some measures taken by Maharashtra Government to prevent Water pollution:
  Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
 State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)
 Pollution Control Committees (PCCs)
 Central Water Commission (CWC)

According to the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act of 1974
and the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986, industrial units must install effluent
treatment plants (ETPs) and treat their effluents to meet specified environmental
standards before discharging into rivers and other bodies of water. As a result, the
CPCB, State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs), and Pollution Control Committees
(PCCs) keep an eye on industries’ compliance with effluent discharge standards and
take appropriate legal action in the event of non-compliance with these Acts’
provisions. Additionally, the industries are urged to maintain Zero Liquid Discharge
(ZLD) whenever possible, enhance technology to reduce waste water output, reuse
wastewater, and recycle wastewater. State Governments have the primary
responsibility to monitor, as well as take corrective actions, regarding pollution of water
sources by industries or mines.