ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (DSH 123)

Assigment 1

Title : River Water Quality

Group Assigment

Prepared by:

Name Matrix Card Number

Muhammad Bin Mohd Kamil DSH 1511 1033
Janethon Limauan DSH 1511 1014
Farra Najiha Bt Rasid DSH 1511 1020
Sheelah a/p Selvam DSH 1511 1042
Mogana Priya a/p Gunasegaran DSH 1511 1041

Lecturer Name : Pn. Anis Farhana Kamarulzaman

Table of Contents :

No. Contents Pages

1. Introduction
2. Objective
3. About Ganga river
4. The current status of Ganga River
5. Causes of water pollution in Ganga River
6. Effects of water Pollution in Ganga River
7. Remediation/Clean-up process
8. Solution
9. Awareness
10. Conclusion

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INTRODUCTION

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OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this assignment is to present the river water quality that selected :

 Assessing Water Quality and Development Plan in selected River

 Identifying the causes matter that have influenced in the polluted river.
 Knowing the level of the polluted and extent of risk for living thing that live nearby
with the area.
 Creating solution in adopted the remediation or clean-up process on the selected
river.
 Developing the effective  planning water quality improvements on the selected river.

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ABOUT GANGA RIVER

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 The Ganga River Basin is one of the largest living river systems in the world, the
main stem of the river flows through 5 states of India however the entire
catchment provides water to 11 states.
 The Ganga Basin supports numerous diverse ecosystems, from the alpine forests near
Gaumukh to the plains of northern India to the mangrove forests and saline mud flats
of West Bengal.
 The mouth of River Ganga forms the world’s largest delta, known as Sunderbans, and
was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.
 This great river supports a population of approximately 500 million people, akin to
the population of the United States, Russia and Canada combined. For them, Ganga is
life itself, providing water for cooking, bathing, irrigating crops and sustaining
livelihoods.
 The Ganga River Basin is 2,150 kilometers long, with over twenty minor and major
connecting tributaries spanning over seven Indian states. These waters irrigate one-
third of India’s land and account for 25% of the nation’s water resources.
 Her water’s provide over 2,400 MW of hydropower energy to light some of India’s
largest cities and towns, including the nation’s capital, Delhi.
 Numerous plant and animal species rely on Ganga’s waters, including extremely
endangered animals like the Ganges River Dolphin and the Royal Bengal Tiger.
 On Her banks are India’s greatest pilgrimage sites like Rishikesh, Haridwar, Varanasi,
Allahabad and Kolkata, which are visited by millions of people from every corner of
the world to quench their thirst for knowledge and liberation.
 Her catchment supports a diverse array of languages, cultures and traditions, ranging
from Garhwali, Urdu, from Hindi to Hebrew, from Bhojpuri to Bengali, amongst
many others.
 Some over 100 million people took a bath in the holy waters of Mother Ganga during
the month long Maha Kumbha Mela of 2013, popularly known as the largest
gathering of humanity.
 Along Her and Her tributaries banks lay countless archeological sites, national
heritage sites, and world heritage sites such as Nanda Devi Wildlife Sanctuary, Valley
of Flowers National Park and the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world.

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Status of Ganga River (Polluted)

River Ganges flows through the most densely populated regions of India passing 29
cities with population over 100,000, 23 cities with population between 50,000 and 100,000,
and about 48 towns. A sizeable proportion of the effluents in Ganges are caused by this
population through domestic usage like bathing, laundry and public defecation. Countless
tanneries, chemical plants, textile mills, distilleries, slaughterhouses, and hospitals contribute
to the pollution of the Ganga by dumping untreated toxic and non-biodegradable waste into
it. It is this sheer volume of pollutants released into the river every day that are causing
irreparable damage to the ecosystem and contributing to significant sanitation issues.

The Ganges River Pollution is now at such a high level that the amount of toxins,
chemicals and other dangerous bacteria found in the river are now almost 3000 times over the
limit suggested by the WHO as 'safe'.

The river directly and indirectly affects the largest population of any river in the world
with over more than 420 million people who rely on it for food, water, bathing and
agriculture. And that is not to mention the tens of Millions of pilgrims who venture to India's
most holy of rivers each year to bathe and worship.

Experts estimate that more than 3000 million litres of untreated sewage from these
towns along the Ganges are pumped into the river every day. By the time it reaches Varanasi,
whose untreated sewage (or most of it) is also pumped into the waters, it becomes a sewer
and the sixth most polluted river in the world.
Causes of Water Pollution in Ganga River
The main causes of water pollution in the Ganga river are the increase in the population
density, various human activities (such as bathing, washing clothes, and the bathing of
animals), and dumping of various harmful industrial waste into the river.

1. Human Waste

An area of 1,800,000 km2 (400,000 square miles). The river flows through 29 cities with
population over 100,000; 23 cities with population between 50,000 and 100,000, and about
48 towns. A large proportion of the sewage water with higher organic load in the Ganges is
from this population through domestic water usage.

2. Industrial Waste

Because of the establishment of a large number of industrial cities on the bank of river Ganga
like Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi and Patna, countless tanneries, chemical plants, textile
mills, distilleries, slaughterhouses, and hospitals prosper and grow along this and contribute
to the pollution of the Ganga by dumping untreated waste into it.[Industrial effluents are
about 12% of the total volume of effluent reaching the Ganga. Although a relatively low
proportion, they are a cause for major concern because they are often toxic and non-
biodegradable.

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 3. Religious Events

During festival seasons, over 70 million people bathe in the Ganga  to clean themselves from
their past sins. Some materials like food, waste or leaves are left in the Ganga which are
responsible for its pollution.
Effects of Water Pollution in Ganga River

1. Marine life

The results of mercury analysis in various specimens collected along the basin indicated that
some fish muscles tended to accumulate high levels of mercury. Of it, approximately 50–84%
was organic mercury. A strong positive correlation between mercury levels in muscle with
food habit and fish length was found.

The Ganges River dolphin is one of few species of fresh water dolphins in the world. Listed
as an endangered species, their population is believed to be less than 2000. Hydroelectric and
irrigation dams along the Ganga that prevents the dolphins from travelling up and down river
is the main reason for their reducing population.

2. Wildlife

Some of the dams being constructed along the Ganga basin will submerge substantial areas of
nearby forest. For example, the Kotli-Bhel dam at Devprayag will submerge 1200 hectares of
forest, wiping out the river otters and the mahaseer fish that are found there. Wildlife
biologists in India have been warning that the wild animals will find it difficult to cope with
the changed situation.

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 3. Human beings

An analysis of the Ganga water in 2006 and 2007 showed significant associations between
water-borne/enteric disease pop and the use of the river for bathing, laundry, washing, eating,
cleaning utensils, and brushing teeth. Water in the Ganga has been correlated to contracting
dysentery, cholera, hepatitis, as well as severe diarrhea which continues to be one of the
leading causes of death of children in India.
Remediation/Clean-up process

1. Promote water-sustainable cities: 

Public education, coupled with a rewards and penalty system, should encourage every citizen
to think twice before turning on the taps, to repair issues in their pipelines, and to use less
water for things like car washing, private green ways and other trivial uses. In addition, the
city of Chennai should be looked to as an example. Encourage mass public participation in
rainwater harvesting. Such practices should be subsidized and made mandatory everywhere.
Smart city development needs to happen, with strict implementation of different, realistic
need-assessments for all stakeholders. Development and contracts are currently being signed
without infrastructural support and management in the city. For example, Gurgoan does not
have water of its own but will be installing a NCR. Channel to get 160 cusec Upper Yamuna
River water but the capacity for the channel is 800 cusec capacity. These discrepancies must
be brought to light, questioned, monitored and addressed.

2. Mandate grey water reuse and recycling: 

The nation of Israel successfully re-uses 70% of its treated waste water for agriculture. It is
time that India, which supports 17% of the world’s population with 4% of the world’s fresh
water, follow suit. In addition, households and businesses should be granted incentives –
alongside mass public awareness programs – that encourage reusing grey water and treated
water from STPs for the flushing of toilets, industrial use, lawn and garden irrigation, and
other non-drinking-related reasons.

3. Water Footprint Measuring Systems

During the months of March through June, most farmers do not need water for irrigation, so
water use should be monitored and water footprint measures should be implemented.

4. Implement technology of bioremediation

Bioremediation is a system of sewage treatment where microbes are used to degrade
flowing sewage into carbon dioxide and water. The process also reduces the stench from
raw sewage.

The microbes simply eat up contaminants such as oil and organic matter (e.g., waste
food), convert them and then let off carbon dioxide and water. The process uses naturally
occurring bacteria, fungi or plants to degrade substances that are hazardous to human
health or the environment.

Bioremediation technology includes phytoremediation (plants) and rhizoremediation

(plant and microbe interaction). At present, the process is used to check contamination in

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soil, groundwater and surface water. The system does not require construction or any
major modification of drains or diversion of flow. It takes place in open drains without

displacement of sewage. The process also does not

require any additional land or power, making it a
simple and easy system.
It is cheaper than conventional treatment methods,
easy to handle and, importantly, does not require
skilled manpower.

5. Sewage Treatment Plants

Kinds of treatment systems in place under Ganga

Action Plan in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar &
West Bengal

 Oxidation ponds - Treatment capacity: 134

MLD
 Activated sludge process - Treatment capacity: 507.5 MLD
 Trickling Filter - Treatment capacity: 134 MLD
 Rotating biological Rope contractor - Treatment capacity: .33 MLD
 Up flow anaerobic sludge blanket - Treatment capacity: 55 MLD
 Aerated Lagoon - Treatment capacity: 49.5 MLD

     
         These sewage treatment plants (STPs) are maintained without using chemicals to treat
the water and are completely biologically controlled. To monitor and maintain these
treatment plants it is necessary to have technically trained employees and a constant supply of
power. When the plant loses power the bacterial population, which is how the water is
treated, will die out and become less effective or completely ineffective. 

6. Tighten enforcement of industrial pollution norms.

There are no alternatives for this. It is clear that industries must be able to meet discharge
standards that have been legally set in the country. In UP, records show that almost all
industries inspected by the Central Pollution Control Board in 2013 are in breach of existing
standards. It is time for tough action. Nothing less.
7. Create a huge fund for “Ganga cleaning”
Create a huge fund for “Ganga cleaning” to clean over 2,500 km descent from the mountains
to the sea and also sustain it forever. Besides government financing, we also need crowd
source large fund from our citizens. So we have to create a public fund "Nirmal Ganga Fund"
and encourage people to donate in this fund. People will readily come forward to donate in
large numbers for this fund. We have to create an effective campaign for it , also effective
channels for collecting donations, so that people can donate easily. We can provide following
options for donations:
 Online donations
 By Phone: People can call one central number and an executive will collect cash\
check from people.
 To ensure transparency every donator will get an authentic receipt
Also this donation will give people a sense of attachment with Ganga cleaning campaign, so
whoever donates for this cause will also try to help cleaning Ganga.

Solution

1. National Ganga River Basin Project (NGRB)

NGRB wants to create a municipal sewage system to stop point source pollution such as
untreated sewage.  This would include a clean water supply, sewage systems and solid waste
disposal in all the cities in the Ganges basin.  Through partnership and transfer of knowledge,

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NGRB wants to change the ideology of the populous living along the Ganges basin to stop
second source pollution.  This means changing the way people interpret the purity of the
Ganges basin verse its acual cleanliness.  For more information regarding the National Ganga
River Basin Project.

2. Advanced Integrated Wastewater Pond System (AIWPS)

Through AIWPS, tanneries will be able to remove the chromium and raw sewage will be
treated, allowing clean effluents.  This is done through a series of ponds that help break down
organic matter and remove fecal bacteria and chromium.  The pH level of the effluents will
drop from 11.2-12 down to 8-8.4, which allows for appropriate discharge into the Ganges
basin.  AIWPS can clean 37 million litres of waste water daily (Das, 2012). 

Awareness
Mass awareness against environmental degradation, especially against pollution of air, water
and land and deforestation and destruction of wildlife should be undertaken.
T.V and Radio are to be persuaded to give a substantial amount of prime time to create such
awareness, informing regularly about the water pollution levels of major rivers and of air
pollution levels in big cities and their adverse effect on the common people.

National Laboratories such as NEERI, TRC and etc. must regularly monitor the pollution
levels of major rivers and inform the public about the hazardous effects through various
forms of mass media.

A comprehensive website on the Ganga and the other rivers of our country should be created
for networking of various organizations and people involved in the Ganga Action Plan and
for creating necessary mass-awareness for saving the Ganga and the other rivers in a world.

Environmental ethics should be taught as a part of the syllabus on ethics, both at the school as
well as at the college level. Teaching environmental ethics without discussing the value and
means of an ethical life would be of little significance. We must study critically the views of
great religions and of great teachers and thinkers of mankind about various fundamental
issues of ethics.

Create a movie which can inspire people to stop polluting river and inspire them to be
volunteer for Ganga and Create a documentary movie similar to "The Day After Tomorrow”
which will show how Ganga is dying slowly...its past glory and consequences if we did not
took timely action.

Conclusion

In our opinion, the pollution crisis in the Ganges River will never be fully
resolved.  Pollutions levels are at such a high amount that it would require an extreme amount

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of time and money to properly clean the river in its entirety.  In fact, amounts of pollution
will continue to rise as the country becomes more developed, populations continue rising, and
more industries and factories are placed along the river.  If actions are not taken to help
control pollution and to start cleaning up the river, ecosystems, businesses, religious
traditions, and human health will continue to be disrupted.  Some lessons to be learned from
this environmental issue are to recognize when a problem begins to get out of control.  It is
important to target the main sources of pollution and enact measures to control them prior to
the escalation at which levels of pollution in the Ganges River are at now.