ASSIGNMENT

OF
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Submitted to:

Submitted by:

Ms. Hema Kataria

Himanshi
B.B.A Gen

Q1: Different resources of water in India?

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Water is essential for human civilisation, living organisms, and natural habitat. It is used for
drinking, cleaning, agriculture, transportation, industry, recreation, and animal husbandry,
producing electricity for domestic, industrial and commercial use. Due to its multiple benefits
and the problems created by its excesses, shortages and quality deterioration, water as a resource
requires special attention.
Water can be obtained from a variety of natural sources. The criteria to be satisfied by water sources
are:
1. The quality of water must be acceptable
2. Quantity must be sufficient to meet the demand.

CLASSIFICATION OF WATER SOURCES

1. Above the surface : Rain
2. Surface water Reservoirs, rivers, streams,ponds, tanks and lakes.
3. Ground Water Shallow wells, deep wells and springs.

Rain
Rain is the most important source of water. It is the purest water free from pathogenic agents. It
is clear, bright, sparkling and soft. Because it is soft, it has a corrosive action on lead pipes.
Impurities: Suspended impurities like dust, soot, micro - organisms; gases like carbon dioxide,
nitrogen and ammonia. These are picked up by rain water from the atmosphere.

Surface Water
The sources of surface water are i) Reservoirs ii) Rivers and streams iii) Tanks, ponds and lakes.
Reservoirs:
These are artificial lakes constructed by masonry or dams built across rivers. Water from
reservoirs is clear, palatable, soft and free from pathogenic organisms. But it may be contaminated by human habitations or animals.

Rivers:
Rivers satisfy water needs of several cities and villages. It contains impurities produced by
sewage, industrial wastes, human and animal washings etc. So it is not suitable for dunking
without treatment.
Tanks:
They are large excavations in which water is stored. They form an important source of water in
many of the Indian villages. They are contaminated by silt, colloidal matter, aquatic vegetation,
washings of humans and cattle. Also the regular defecation around the edges may be drained into
them by rain. Because of high degree of contamination, tank water is not suitable for drinking.
Tanks can be improved by:
1. Raising the edges and fencing them.
2. By constructing an elevated platform from where water can be drawn.
3. Periodical removal of weeds.
4. Regular cleaning at the end of dry season.

Ground Water
It is obtained from wells or springs. It is naturally filtered though the ground.
Advantages:
1. It is free from pathogenic agents
2. It does not require treatment
3. Supply may be adequate
Disadvantages:
1. High content of minerals like calcium and magnesium which make it hard.
2. Requires lifting by pumps or other physical means.
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Wells:
They are the main sources of water in many Indian villages and towns. According to the method
of construction, they are classified as dug wells and tube wells.

Dug well:
It is the commonest type in India.lt may be an unlined ketch well or a puck well lined by bricks
or stones. If the puck well contains steps (to enable people to get into it to fetch water) it is called
step well. Step well may be contaminated if people take bath, or wash the face, hands and feet.
Also guinea worm disease may be contacted from step wells.

Sanitary well:
It is an improved ideal dug well with the following features:
1. It is located at an elevated site at least 50 feet away from a source of contamination like
latrine, bathing place, cattle shed etc.
2. It should have a lining built by bricks or stones such that water does not enter from the sides.
3. It should have a parapet, platform, drain and covering.
4. It should have a hand pump to draw water in a sanitary manner.
5. The quality must conform to the standard of safe and wholesome water.

Tube Wells
There are two types of tube wells. Shallow tube wells and deep tube wells.
Shallow tube well (or driven well) consists of an iron pipe sunk into the water bearing stratum. It
has a strainer at the bottom and hand pump at the top. It can be prevented from pollution by
i. Locating it 15 meters away from a source of pollution like latrine or cattle shed.

ii. Providing a concrete platform all around.

Deep tube wells are several hundred feet deep. They are drilled by mechanical equipment's.
Water is drawn from them by electrical motor. These wells are costly to construct. But they are
ideal since they supply pure water for long years.

Springs
Springs are natural outlets of ground water held under pressure in the ground. There are four
kinds of springs-shallow springs, deep springs, mineral springs and thermal springs. Spring water
may vary in quality and the yield is also very low.

Rivers in India
The country houses 12 rivers that are categorized as important rivers.
All the important rivers in the country have their sources in any of the following areas:
a) Vindhya and Satpura mountain range, forming a part of the heart of the country
b) The Karakoram and Himalayan mountain ranges
c) Sahyadri or Western Ghats mountain range, forming a part of western India

Lakes in India
The major lakes in India are as follows - Vembanad Lake (Kerala), Sambhar Lake, (the biggest
saltwater lagoon of the nation in Rajasthan), Loktak Lake (Manipur), Kolleru Lake (Andhra
Pradesh), Chilka Lake (Orissa), Dal Lake (Kashmir), and Sasthamkotta Lake (Kerala).

Water bodies that border India

Given below are the names of the water bodies that surround India from different sides:

a) Lakshadweep Sea in the southwest

b) Arabian Sea in the west
c) Bay of Bengal in the east
d) Indian Ocean in the south

Q2: How ground water pollution differ from surface water

pollution?
ANS: Groundwater contamination occurs when man-made products such as gasoline, oil, road
salts and chemicals get into the groundwater and cause it to become unsafe and unfit for human
use. Some of the major sources of these products, called contaminants, are storage tanks, septic
systems, hazardous waste sites, landfills, and the widespread use of road salts, fertilizers,
pesticides and other chemicals.

Surface water consists of all water that is naturally exposed to the atmosphere including
creeks, ponds, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, seas and oceans. Also in this category are springs
and wells that are directly influenced by surface water sources.

Groundwater is water found beneath the Earths surface that gradually seeped down by
saturating soil or rock. This water is stored in underground crevices and in the pores of
rocks and other materials beneath the surface.