Brief Information on Water Quality for Surface Water (SW) for Maharashtra State under Hydrology Project (SW), Maharashtra.
General Note on Water Quality
Mandates
Government of Maharashtra accepted the Document of the World Bank State Appraisal Report (SAR) – Hydrology Project, July 14- 1995 Report No.13952 IN for WRD Department vide GR No.NHP/1093/(65/93)WRD, Mantralaya, Mumbai Dt. 22 July 1995 which covers financial inputs for strengthening and rationalizing the existing monitoring Network for data Collection of Hydrometeorology. The Newly added Concept of Water Quality data Collection is added in WRD which includes establishing New Water Quality Sample Collection Point ( W.Q.Network) along with Establishment of Field Lab ( Level-I) and regional Lab as Level-II for Water Quality Data Collection for entire State.
Water Resources Department Established separate Office Set-up of separate Organization namely Hydrology Project (SW) Maharashtra at Nashik with One Chief Engineer office and Two Circle offices. All field division of WRD working for data collection work previously under regional CE is comes under single umbrella for uniformity in data collection HP (SW)
Objectives framed for Water Quality Monitoring under HP
Hydrology Project aims at establishing a Hydrological Information System (HIS) in the state and the HIS includes Water Quality Monitoring of Surface Water. The basic objectives for WQ Monitoring are:
Water Quality Monitoring under HP (SW) Maharashtra
Hydrology Project of Water Resources Department, Government of Maharashtra is monitoring 132 stations for surface water Baseline (Origin of the River) -17, Trend (D/S Cities) -83 and Flux (State Border or Basin Borders) -3 nos. of sampling locations spread over the state followed by 29 reservoir locations through 5 Level-II Labs namely Pune, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Thane and Level-II+ at Nashik.
Concept of WQAA / WQRC
In exercise of powers confirmed by Subsection (1) & (3) of section 3 of environment protection act 1986 (29 of 1986), the Central Govt constituted Water Quality Assessment Authority (WQAA) at National level & followed by Water Quality Review Committee (WQRC) at state level.
Members Associated with WQRC and in the field of WQ Monitoring in State
The Water Quality Monitoring is carried out by various agencies viz. Central Water Commission (SW), Central Pollution Control Board (GW), Groundwater Surveys & Development Agency (GW), Hydrology Project (SW), Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, Central Ground Water Board, Directorate of Irrigation Research and Development (DIRD). Hydrology Project takes care of Surface water quality through sampling points spread over the State throughout the year; DIRD monitors dug wells in the command area of major and medium Irrigation Projects. Ground Water Surveys and Development Agency also monitors the dug wells as well as ground water levels of the State intermittently.
Mandates (Protocol) of Water Quality Monitoring under HP (SW) Maharashtra
Notification on dated 17th June 2005 from Ministry of Environment & Forest, New Delhi has published a ‘ Uniform Protocol for Water Quality monitoring order 2005’ & is mandatory to all agencies working in the field of water quality. The protocol consists of all guidelines regarding sample collection, location type, Sampling methods, parameter selection, frequency of sampling, data validation & data sharing.
Present Practice under HP (SW): Maharashtra
Water samples are collected from the sampling locations and the parameters are tested at various water quality Level-II & II+ Lab as per the standard guidelines laid down in Protocol. The results of analysis are entered in software called Surface Water Data Entry System (SWDES). Validated WQ data is stored at State Data Storage Centre; Nashik in SWDES format.
Hydrology Project (SW)- Water Quality Related work to be proposed under National Hydrology Project – NHP (HP-III)
