Contamination, Pollution and Quality

Featured Articles
December 16, 2022
Water Quality Management Course - Not just a training program
In this article, we will understand how the WQM course is continuing to influence the needs of learners that come from diverse backgrounds. The course model also offers core insights to many others who would like to engage in a virtual training program.
During a WQM course, a field team member from INREM facilitating a demonstration
September 9, 2022
Creating jobs while managing air quality
Highlights from a new report released by iFOREST
An old coal-fired power plant has been dumping vast quantities of ash out in the open for many years. (Image: Lundrim Aliu/ World Bank; CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
September 5, 2022
Rivers of Bengaluru: A map-infographic reflects the rivers’ state
In an attempt to present a perspective on how rivers are used and abused, a map of the Bengaluru rivers illustrate how waste flows through natural river corridors, polluting the rivers and altering their status.
Vrishabhavathi river flow at Thagachguppe Bridge, Kumbalgodu (Image Source: Paani.Earth)
August 27, 2022
Himalayan lakes can potentially become long-term sinks of microplastics
Study looks at microplastic types in lakes of Ladakh
(Vinay Goel, Wikimedia Commons)
August 19, 2022
Polluted water, hitchhiking microbes and the hidden threat of cholera in India
Better access to clean water coupled with health education to bring about changes in behaviour are critical to prevent exposure to dangerous cholera bacteria that lurk in untreated waters.
The hidden threat of cholera in India (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos)
August 11, 2022
India’s rivers in trouble due to high fertilizer load and heavy monsoons
This could lead to water quality crisis reinforcing the need for basin-specific management strategies
Around the world, more than a fifth of nitrogen released by human activity ends up in aquatic ecosystems (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Some strategies for managing groundwater by Aditi Mukherji, IWMI
Groundwater is essential for India's agricutural economy. In her blog 'Waterscapes', Aditi Mukherji discusses the need for regional strategies to manage groundwater economy.
Aditi Mukherji
Posted on 22 Feb, 2013 09:53 AM

Groundwater is essential for India's agricutural economy. However, there is a large variation in the groundwater resources of each region. Some regions are already over-exploited, while others can still tolerate more withdrawal. In her blog 'Waterscapes', Aditi Mukherji discusses the need for regional strategies to manage groundwater economy.

Dealing with arsenic in rural Bihar - Evaluating the successes and failures of mitigation projects
Arsenic is a toxin that is commonly found in the ground water of shallow aquifers in the Ganges River Delta.This research focuses on the social and economic factors that influence the successes and failures of different arsenic mitigation projects and will provide a strategy on how to handle the arsenic issue in the upcoming years.
Matthijs Brouns
Merijn Janssen
Andrew Wong
Posted on 21 Feb, 2013 11:51 PM

Article Courtesy: Delft University of Technology

Author(s): Matthijs Brouns, Merijn Janssen, Andrew Wong
Assessing the land use change and its impact on water resources: A study on the Mula and Mutha rivers catchment area in Pune
Analysing the changes in land uses between 1989 and 2009, this paper assesses the impact on water balance in Mula and Mutha Rivers catchment upstream of the city of Pune
K Schneider
P D Wagner
S Kumar
Posted on 17 Feb, 2013 09:11 PM

Land use changes  hydrologic system and have potentially large impacts on water resources. An assessment in an area with seasonally limited water availability and which is subject to rapid socio- economic development and population growth will provide an exemplary view on the local impacts of major recent developments in India. In this backdrop this paper analyzes past land use changes between 1989 and 2009 and their impacts on the water balance in the Mula and Mutha Rivers catchment upstream of Pune. The aim of the paper is:

  • assess the land use changes between 1989/1990 and 2009/2010
  • analyze the impacts of these changes on the long-term water balance components in the Mula and Mutha Rivers catchment upstream of the city of Pune.

Influence of anthropogenic contamination on fluoride concentration in groundwater: A study of Mulbagal town, Kolar district, Karnataka
Groundwater contamination is a serious, but relatively ignored issue in the country. This contamination occurs in either through geogenic or anthropogenic means. This paper analyses the Fluoride contamination, one such example of geogenic contamination, widely found in the Kolar district of Karnataka.
Sudhakar M Rao
Posted on 15 Feb, 2013 04:53 PM

Groundwater contamination is a serious, but relatively ignored issue in the country. This contamination occurs in either through geogenic or anthropogenic means. Fluoride contamination is one such example of geogenic contamination that is widely found in the Kolar district of Karnataka. However, the fluoride levels in the town of Mulbagal are lower than those in the surroundings. Earlier, a study was conducted on the impact of pit toilets on the groundwater in the area. The present paper investigates the presence of any link between these two phenomena.View of Mulbagal Town, Kolar District, Karnataka

Corrosion induced oil pipeline leak in Chennai blows lid off two-year-old problem of CPCL pipeline and affects water table
A leak in an underground CPCL oil pipeline in Chennai, on February 8, 2013 set off panic among residents even as CPCL officials initiated action to plug the hole and clear the contaminated soil.
M Valliappan
Posted on 14 Feb, 2013 10:38 PM

Author: M Valliappan

Corroded oil pipes
Handbook for flood protection, anti-erosion and river training works by Central Water Commission (2012)
This Handbook provides necessary guidance to the field engineers to deal primarily with structural measures of flood management like flood protection works, anti erosion measures and river training works.
Central Water Commission (CWC)
Posted on 13 Feb, 2013 09:43 PM

This handbook by Central Water Commission aims to provide necessary guidance to the field engineers in the state and central for design, appraisal, construction and monitoring of the flood management works covering all the relevant BIS codes, design manuals, guidelines, technical specifications for construction materials and practices etc. to meet new challenges in the flood management in India.

Guidelines for decentralized wastewater management by Ministry of Urban Development (2012)
A guideline for better management of wastewater and improvement of hygiene and sanitation conditions in the country.
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
MoUD Centre of Excellence in DWWM Department of Civil Engineering
Posted on 12 Feb, 2013 07:36 PM

This guideline is prepared by the Centre of Excellence in the area of Decentralized Wastewater Management, in the Department of Civil Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, which comes under Ministry of Urban Development
Punjab ranks highest in the country, in level of water pollution caused by industries - Roundup of the week’s news (January 28 - February 3, 2013)
The weekly headlines include Punjab being ranked as the worst performing state in water pollution, an analysis of the MGNREGS, the zero rejection state of the MoEF, TOI social impact awardees and decision of the apex court on the ongoing water feud between Tamil Nadu & Karnataka states.
sabitakaushal
Posted on 04 Feb, 2013 05:20 PM

Water pollution by industries: Punjab ranks highest
Delhi’s draft water policy released - Roundup of the week’s news (January 21 -27, 2013)
A weekly roundup of the news from January 21 - 27, 2013
Sabita Kaushal
Posted on 28 Jan, 2013 08:14 PM

Delhi’s draft water policy
Assessment of exposure, intake and toxicity of fluoride from groundwater sources in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh
A research paper on fluoride contamination of groundwater in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh. It assesses the exposure to fluoride through drinking water consumption and also elucidates fluoride endemic areas.
Anurag Tewari
Ashutosh Dubey
M.K.Chaturvedi
Posted on 28 Jan, 2013 01:40 PM

Fluoride is one of the most commonly found elements in the earth’s crust. It is naturally found d in water and helps in healthy tooth development and cavity prevention. However its high concentration in water can be harmful to human health. The amount of Fluoride (F) occurring naturally in groundwater is governed principally by climate, composition of the host rock, and hydrogeology. As per the World Health Organization and Indian Council of Medical Research the permissible limit to fluoride in drinking water is 1.5mg/L. Anything more than this value can cause fluorosis (dental and skeletal), which can affect the bones and teeth. In the backdrop of this aspect of water quality, this paper in RASĀYAN Journal of Chemistry,  tries to assess the exposure to fluoride through drinking water consumption and to elucidate fluoride endemic areas through mapping in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh.

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