Foreword

Water Quality Monitoring is an important exercise, which helps in evaluating the nature and extent of pollution control required, and effectiveness of pollution control measures already in existence. It also helps in drawing the water quality trends and prioritizing pollution control efforts.

The National Water Quality Monitoring Program is being carried out at 784 locations. The monitoring networ.k comprises of 514 locations on rivers, 57 locations on lakes, ponds, tanks, 32 locations on canals, creeks, drains and 181 locations on groundwater. The present network covers 168 rivers, 53 lakes, 5 tanks 2 ponds, 3 creeks, 3 canals, 12 drains and 181 wells.

The monitoring network is extended to 26 states and 5 Union Territories. Monitoring is conducted on Monthly Quarterly and Half Yearly basis. Three locations in upper reaches of Himalaya (Gangotri, Yamnotri and Shyanachetti) are being monitored on Yearly basis. The Water Quality Mqnitoring data is computed to assess the extent of deterioration by calculating the ranges of each parameter and the mean value in a set of observations taken during the year 2002 and 2003.

The co-operation extended by State Pollution Control Boards in this endeavor for generation of data is acknowledged. I hope, the report will be useful to all those concerned with water quality management and its restoration in the country.