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Water Resource
Abstract
Introduction:
Global Overview:
While ¾ th of Earth’s surface is
covered by water, 97% of it is
marine water and only 3% of
global water is freshwater.
Most of the freshwater 77.2%
are locked in ice caps and
glaciers. 22.4% is distributed in
the form of ground water and
only 0.4% is surface water.
Present water utilization in
India:
Irrigation constitutes the main use
of water and is thus focal issue in
water resources development. As
of now, irrigation use is 84
percent of total water use. This is
much higher than the world’s
average, which is about 65
percent. For advanced nations, the
figure is much lower. For example,
the irrigation use of water in USA
is around 33 percent. In India,
therefore, the remaining 16
percent of the total water use
accounts for Rural domestic and
livestock use, Municipal domestic
and public use, Thermal-electric
power plants and other industrial
uses.
The term irrigation is defined as
the artificial method of applying
water to crops. Irrigation
increases crop yield and the
amount of land that can be
productively farmed, stabilizes
productivity, facilitates a greater
diversity of crops, increases farm
income and employment, helps
alleviate poverty and contributes
to regional development.
Competing water uses:
 Industrialized / developed
countries tend to use more
water in their industrial
production.
Coolant
Manufacturing goods
 Other countries tend to use
more water for Agricultural
uses.

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 Thermal power (or) Hydro
electric power supply
 In Domestic way for
Drinking, Watering
The above demands of
water to various sectors are
explained in the following
paragraphs.
Drinking water: Adequate safe
drinking water facilities should be
provided to the entire population
both in urban and in rural areas.
Irrigation and multipurpose
projects should invariably include
a drinking water component,
wherever there is no alternative
source of drinking water. Drinking
water needs of human beings and
animals should be the first charge
on any available water. of water to
soil to assist in the production of
crops.
Irrigation: Irrigation is the
application on rainfall and ground
water. In many areas of the world,
the amount and timing of the
rainfall are not adequate to meet
the moisture requirements of
crops. The pressure for survival
and the need for additional food
supplies are causing the rapid
expansion of irrigation throughout
the world.
Hydropower: Hydropower is a
clean, renewable and reliable
energy source that serves national
environmental and energy policy
objectives. Hydropower converts
kinetic energy from falling water
into electricity without consuming
more water than is produced by
nature.
Ecology: The study of the factors
that influence the distribution and
abundance of species.
Industrial demand of water:
Industrial water consumption
consists of a wide range of uses,
including product-processing and
small-scale equipment cooling,
sanitation, and air conditioning.
The presence of industries in or
near the city has great impact on
water demand. The quantity of
water required depends on the type
of the industry. For a city with
moderate factories, a provision of
20 to 25 percent of per capita
consumption may be made for this
purpose.
Version 2 CE IIT, Kharagpur

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Navigation: Navigation is the
type of transportation of men and
goods from one place to another
place by means of water. The
development of inland water
transport or navigation is of crucial
importance from the point of
energy conservation as well.
Population increases
consumption of water
increases.
Continuous extracting Ground
water extract, with ground
water, polluting with surface
water.
Growing population demand
more water resources for the
above activities:
Population increases demand
of population water increases
Water available in the unit:
This may be divided into three
sources
- Rain falling within the region.
This may be utilized directly
before it reaches the ground, for
example, the roof – top rain water
harvesting schemes in water scarce
areas. - Surface water bodies.
These static (lakes and ponds) and
flowing (streams and rivers), water
bodies may be utilized for
satisfying the demand of the unit,
for example by constructing dams
across rivers.
- Ground water reservoirs. The
water stored in soil and pores of
fractured bed rock may be
extracted to meet the demand, for
example wells or tube – wells.
Depletion of water:
The depletion of water leads to the
following problems
1. Afforestation
2. Rain water harvesting
3. Water shed management
To overcome this problems
Conversation of water
(Sustainable utilization)
The declining accessibility of
quality drinking water in many
parts of the world and shrinking
water resources call for new
approaches to water resources
management. Adequate funding
is required to improve access to
safe drinking water and sewage
systems, and to switch to water
and energy saving in
production and consumption.
Recent Technology:
Rain water harvesting

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Water conversation
Rain water harvesting:
Urban Water Supply:
Demand for water is growing in
most cities as every urban citizen
requires almost double the amount
of water that a rural citizen
requires. Moreover, India is
rapidly urbanizing.
Urban population in India has
grown almost five times in five
decades from 1951 (62.44 million)
to 2001 (286.08). Not long ago,
most of our cities were self
sufficient in meeting their water
needs from the extensive urban
water bodies to supply water to
citizens. Today these water bodies
have completely disappeared.
Municipalities have been stretched
to their limits to find water for the
growing urban populations.
Groundwater is being extracted by
the government as well as the
private parties.
Water Conservation:
Water conservation can be defined
as:
1. Any beneficial reduction in
water loss, use or waste as well
as the preservation of water
quality.
2. A reduction in water use
accomplished by
implementation of water
conservation or water
efficiency measures; or,
3. Improved water mangment
practices that reduce or enhance
the beneficial use of water. A
water conservation measure is
an action, behavioral change,
device, technology, or
improved design or process
implemented to reduce water
loss, waste, or use. Water
efficiency is a tool of water
conservation. That results in
more efficient water use and
thus reduces water demand.
The value and cost-
effectiveness of a water
efficiency measure must be
evaluated in relation to its
effects on the use and cost of
other natural resources (e.g.
energy or chemicals).
Reducing water demand
Simple techniques can be used to
reduce the demand for water. The
underlying principle is that only
part of the rainfall or irrigation
water is taken up by plants, the
rest percolates into the deep

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groundwater, or is lost by
evaporation from the surface.
Therefore, by improving the
efficiency of water use, and by
reducing its loss due to
evaporation, we can reduce water
demand.
There are numerous methods to
reduce such losses and to improve
soil moisture. Some of them are
listed below.
Mulching, i.e., the application of
organic or inorganic material such
as plant debris, compost, etc.,
slows down the surface run-off,
improves the soil moisture,
reduces evaporation losses and
improves soil fertility.
Soil covered by crops, slows
down run-off and minimizes
evaporation losses. Hence, fields
should not be left bare for long
periods of time.
Ploughing helps to move the soil
around. As a consequence it
retains more water thereby
reducing evaporation.
Shelter belts of trees and bushes
along the edge of agricultural
fields slow down the wind speed
and reduce evaporation and
erosion.
Planting of trees, grass, and
bushes breaks the force of rain
and helps rainwater penetrate the
soil.
Fog and dew contain substantial
amounts of water that can be
used directly by adapted plant
species. Artificial surfaces such as
netting-surfaced traps or
polyethylene sheets can be
exposed to fog and dew. The
resulting water can be used for
crops.
Contour farming is adopted in
hilly areas and in lowland areas for
paddy fields. Farmers recognize
the efficiency of contour-based
systems for conserving soil and
water.
Salt-resistant varieties of crops
have also been developed
recently. Because these grow in
saline areas, overall agricultural
productivity is increased without
making additional demands on
freshwater sources. Thus, this is a
good water conservation strategy.
Transfer of water from surplus
areas to deficit areas by inter-
linking water systems through
canals, etc.
Desalination technologies such
as distillation, electro-dialysis and
reverse osmosis are available.

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Use of efficient watering
systems such as drip irrigation and
sprinklers will reduce the water
consumption by plants.
Conclusion:
Water is one of the few natural
resources that bear heavily on both
environmental and socioeconomic
processes, particularly,
international relations.
So save the Water.