‘‘Indiscriminate use of water by increasing population and industrial expansion has led to degradation of the water quality considerably in India.’’ Explain the values that can help in maintaining the quality of water.

i. Recycle and Reuse of Water-Use of water of lesser quality such as reclaimed waste-water would be an attractive option for industries for cooling and fire fighting to reduce their water cost. Similarly, in urban areas water after bathing and washing utensils can be used for gardening.

ii. Rainwater Harvesting- Rain water harvesting is a method to capture and store rainwater for various uses. It is also used to recharge groundwater aquifers. It is a low cost and eco-friendly technique for preserving every drop of water by guiding the rain water to bore well, pits and wells.

iii. Watershed Management Watershed Management- Watershed management basically refers to efficient management and conservation of surface and groundwater resources. It involves prevention of runoff and storage and recharge of groundwater through various methods like percolation tanks, recharge wells, etc.