Water

&
I
This booklet is part of a Series of 6 Booklets on
Environmental Sustainability with a special focus
on Climate Change. Each booklet aims to motivate
individuals to take action to mitigate global warming
by providing basic information in an easy to
understand manner.
Water
&
I
Copyright © 2008
Centre for Environmental Research and Education (CERE)

ISBN 978-81-902018-0-3

PUBLISHER - Centre for Environmental Research

and Education (CERE)

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

copied, transmitted or reproduced in a retrieval
system in any form or by any means without prior
permission of the Publisher.

This booklet is printed using environmentally-friendly

materials. The inks used are vegetable oil-based inks and
the paper is wood-free and chlorine-free.
 It can float, fly or fall, is found on land, in
the oceans and the sky. In what I eat and
drink – in fact, in every part of me!

It’s the most needed, most wasted, most

common substance on Earth! Available for a
price and for free.

It is worshipped and feared. It is life giving as

well as death causing.

It is WATER!!
DID YOU

KNOW...
Water is Life; yet over 1.1 billion people in the
world have no access to safe drinking water and
over 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation. One-fifth of
India’s population (200 million people) do not
have access to safe drinking water, and 600
million lack basic sanitation.

3
 How I use water...

Irrigation /
agriculture

Human Industry
needs

Recreation Power

Food
DID YOU

KNOW...
Water makes up 60 to 70% (by weight)
of all living organisms.

4
 ...and how I affect it

Pesticides/
insecticides

Sewage Effluents

Waste Oil spills

disposal

Depletion
KNOW...
DID YOU

About 80% of pollution to the marine

environment comes from land-based sources.

5
 MY RELATIONSHIP
WITH WATER

Water for humans: Water

is the a basic component
of each cell and essential
for my existence. It keeps
my body temperature at
36.8 °C, forms part of my
blood, helps carry oxygen
and nutrients to my cells and removes waste
material from my body.

A family in a slum has to make

do with 5 - 10 litres of water
per person per day while a
middle income or high income
FACT family uses 125 to 300 litres of
water per person per day.

KNOW...
DID YOU

A person can survive without food for

more than 30 days, but less than a week
without water.

6
Water keeps me clean and healthy, I use
water to cook my food, wash my utensils,
clean my house, water my plants, wash my
scooter and flush
the toilet. I use it
for recreation like
swimming, sailing,
fishing and a host
of other water
related activities.

How much water do I use everyday?

Toilet flushing 22.75
A short shower 114
Tub bath 159
Brushing teeth 9
Washing dishes with running water 137
Washing dishes with a basin 56
Using the dishwasher 91
All figures are in litres

7
 Water for agriculture:
Imagine a water canal
10 meters deep, 100
meters wide, and 7.1
million kilometers in
length - long enough to
encircle the globe 180
times. That is the
amount of water used each year to produce
food for today’s 6.5 billion people.

Water as an animal and plant habitat:

From a small fresh water pond to the vast
Pacific Ocean, almost every water body
found on Earth is an important habitat for
plants and animals. Life began in water and
even today half the
world’s creatures live
under water, from the
oceans and seas to
freshwater habitats
like lakes and rivers.

8
 Water for industry and
power production: All
industrial units, from
mega steel plants to
small paper mills utilise
water, either in their processes or for the
disposal of by-products. This is one of the
main reasons why traditionally industrial
belts have developed along river banks.

Water is also an important component in

power production. River water is harnessed to
produce hydroelectricity while the oceans and
tides are used to produce energy. Thermal
power plants also need vast volumes of water
when they produce electricity.
KNOW...
DID YOU

When you consume 1 kg of grain, you

effectively consume the 1,000 litres of water
needed to grow that grain. When you consume
1 kg of beef, you are consuming the 16,000 litres
of water needed to produce that amount of meat.
So if India exports 1 tonne of any cereal, it
amounts to exporting 1,000 tonnes of water.

9
Water and religion: Water has a central
place in the practices and beliefs of many
religions for two main reasons. Firstly, water
cleanses, washing away impurities.
Secondly, water is a primary building block
of life but also has the power to destroy.

„ In Hinduism, water from the Ganga is used to

cleanse and purify any place or object. Bathing
in the river is believed to wash away one’s sins.

10
„ The Chinese believed that four Dragon Kings
ruled over the seas in the north, east, south and
west. These Dragon Kings could adopt human
forms, and lived in crystal palaces guarded by
shrimps and crabs.
„ In Buddhist funerals, water is poured into a
bowl and placed before the monks and the dead
body. As it fills and flows over the edge, the
monks recite, “Just as the rains fill rivers and
overflow into the ocean, so also may what is
given here reach the departed.”
„ In ancient Egypt, Hapi was God of the Nile
and a deity of fertility - he provided water, food
and the annual inundation of the Nile. He was
also known as the ‘Lord of the Fishes and Birds
of the Marshes,’ indicating that he provided these
creatures to the Egyptians along with the Nile.
Without Hapi, Egypt would have died, and so he
was often revered even above Ra, the Sun God.
„ Uncegila was a mighty water snake in Native
American mythology. She polluted rivers and
subsequently flooded the land with salt water so
nothing could grow. Once she was killed, the sun
scorched her flesh and dried up the soil. This is
said to have created the Nebraska and Dakota
Badlands - large desert areas in the USA.

11
 WHERE DOES MY WATER
COMES FROM?

Two-thirds of the earth’s surface is covered

by water. Around 97.5% is saline, making
up oceans and seas. The remaining 2.5% is
freshwater of which only 0.5% is found in
rivers, lakes and under the ground. The rest
is frozen in ice-caps.

Courtesy of Conservation Ontario

12
 Rainfall: Rainfall is
the primary source of
fresh water, which
constantly recharges
our freshwater bodies
and groundwater
reserves. India is one
of the wettest countries
in the world with
1,170 mm of average rainfall annually. The
world’s average rainfall is about 850 mm.

Groundwater source:
When rain falls on the
earth’s surface, it
seeps through the soil
to a certain depth in
the ground. This water
is stored in the spaces
between the soil
particles and rocks
that form the earth’s crust. This is known as
groundwater, which we tap through our wells.

13
 Glacier: Glaciers
are large sheets of
ice that flow down
mountains. They
cover 10% of the
world’s landmass
and store 75% of
the world’s fresh
water. In India,
there are about
15,000 glaciers in the Himalayas, covering
17% of the mountain area and supporting
numerous perennial rivers such as the
Ganga, Brahmaputra and Indus.

The volume of ice breaking off from

the Jakobshavn glacier in Greenland
has doubled in the last few years.
Scientists say that ice holding
enough water to supply New York
city for a year now breaks away
from the glacier in a day! FACT

14
HOW DOES MY USAGE OF
WATER AFFECT THE
ENVIRONMENT?

Fresh water is a limited and finite

resource. It is unevenly distributed in
time and space, and is already scarce in
many areas of the world. Humans
pollute and over-use their water sources
leading to its depletion. With a rapidly
expanding human population,
industrialisation and the growing
demands of modern society, water
resources are under threat. Fresh water is
indispensable, which is why many
people predict that future wars will be
fought over water.

15
 Industrial

Municipal Agricultural

Sources
of water
pollution
Construction Stormwate
Stormwater

Landfill Transportation

16
Agriculture: The
methods used by
farmers to plant, irrigate
and maintain their crops
influence the quality of
water sources. Intensive
cultivation of crops and
the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides
pollute surface and groundwater sources.

Pesticides used on fields, golf courses and

lawns - run off into local ponds and rivers or
seep down into groundwater, contaminating
the fresh water that fish live in and the water
we drink.

17
 Waste Water
a) Sewage: Our
rivers and oceans are
treated as sewers. We
release sewage into
our water bodies
directly, without
treatment. In India
the main source of river pollution is city
sewage. In large metropolises like New
Delhi, 3.6 billion tonnes of sewage are
dumped into rivers daily. It is estimated
that some 30,000 million litres of pollutants
enter our river systems every day.

KNOW...
DID YOU

When we take medicines, we eventually

excrete the drugs, sending the compounds
into the sewage system. Unfortunately, most
wastewater treatment facilities are not equipped to
filter out chemicals, and a large portion passes
right back into our freshwater sources.

18
 b) Domestic waste water: We pollute our
water bodies when we do laundry, wash our
hands, brush our teeth, bathe or do anything
that uses water. Domestic wastes like
detergent, bleach, hair dye and mouthwash
all go down the drain into our water sources.

IMPACT OF POLLUTION ON WATER

Eutrophication is the enrichment of an aquatic
system by the addition of nutrients. This is primarily
caused by pollution, when phosphorus or nitrogen
containing compounds enter small water bodies.
Some algae and blue-green bacteria thrive on these
nutrients leading to a population explosion called an
algal bloom. Such an explosive growth of one species
slowly causes the death of all other aquatic flora and
fauna due to dissolved oxygen limitations. However,
such an imbalance is usually unsustainable in natural
ecosystems and soon the populations in bloom also
crash. Thus, water pollutants can slowly kill an entire
aquatic system by the process of eutrophication.

KNOW...
DID YOU

Of the 17,600 million litres of wastewater

generated in the country every day, only
4,000 million litres are treated.

19
 Industries: Industrial
manufacturing and waste
disposal systems cause the
contamination of water
sources. Ever day, 10,000
million litres of pollutants
enter our river systems
from industrial units alone.
With industrial development on the rise,
industrial pollution accounts for 33% of the
total pollution as against 20% a decade ago.

Chemical, industrial and radioactive wastes

are stored deep in the ground. Often, to save
money, they are stored improperly and leach
into the groundwater supply making it unfit
for use.
KNOW...
DID YOU

Factories and thermal power plants release

water that has been used as part of their
cooling process into nearby streams and other
water bodies. This heated water raises the
temperature of the water body and affects the aquatic
life in the water. This is known as thermal pollution.

20
 Russian Doors / Marine Photobank
Oil spills: Oil spills
like the 1989 Exxon
Valdez spill along the
coast of Alaska cause
major long term water
pollution and problems
for local wildlife,
fishermen and coastal
communities.

The problems of oil pollution goes far

beyond oil spills. Each year, road runoff and
other non-spill sources send about 21 million
barrels of oil to the oceans, which is 5 times
more than the Valdez spill.

The Exxon Valdez oil spill killed

over 2,50,000 birds, 2,800 Sea
Otters, 300 Harbour Seals, 250 FA C T
Bald Eagles and upto 22 Killer
Whales. Even today, the marine
ecosystem has not recovered.

21
 Disposal of Garbage:
Six million tonnes of
debris enter our
oceans every year.
Today, every major
river in the world is
polluted. However, we still continue treating
our water bodies as easily accessible, free-to-
use dumpsites, hoping that our garbage will
just flow away into oblivion. It never does.

During the Ganesh Chaturthi festival,

1.5 lakh idols of Ganesh are immersed
into Mumbai's sea. The idols are made FACT
from non-biodegradable, hazardous
materials like Plaster of Paris and coated
with toxic paints containing mercury,
cadmium, lead and carbon. The same
happens during Durga Puja immersions.

KNOW...
DID YOU

Globally, about 10,00,000 seabirds and

1,00,000 marine mammals (including
30,000 seals) and turtles are killed by
plastic marine litter every year.

22
 Unsustainable Use
of Water: As our
population grows, the
demand for water
increases and
eventually leads to
the drying up of lakes
and reservoirs and the
depletion of ground
water sources.

The depletion of
groundwater sources is
both an urban and a rural problem. Unregulated
removal of groundwater by farmers, industries
and home-owners has caused the water table to
drop drastically in recent years.
KNOW...
DID YOU

The existing law says “the person who owns

the land, owns the groundwater beneath”.
This means that a person can buy one square
metre of land and pump out all the groundwater
of the surrounding areas without breaking the law.
Is this correct?

23
Draining of water
bodies and wetlands
for development
projects: Nearly all
of the world’s river
systems have been
altered by human
activities. River modifications and excessive
water withdrawals have contributed to and
aggravated drought conditions in arid areas
throughout the world. The conversion of
wetlands to agricultural and urban land has
reduced their capacity to soak up and store
excess water during the rainy season.

BRain TEASE S
R

I protect coastal regions from the sea and

cyclones and also serve as a nursery for
three-fourths of all commercial fish. What am I?

Mangroves.

24
 Dams: Dams are built
to provide both
hydropower and
irrigation water and to
regulate river flow to
prevent floods and
droughts. Hydroelectricity accounts for 24.8%
of India’s power and 96% of India’s dams
have been built to provide irrigation water.

But dams have a detrimental impact on the

environment. Large dams in India have been
the subject of controversy epitomised by the
Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP).

In 1947, there were fewer than

300 large dams in India. By
2004, there were 4,300 large
dams. India ranks third in the
world in dam building, after the
US and China.
FACT

25
 Large dams have a poor record.
„ Large dams lead to the loss of forests, wildlife
habitats and biodiversity. The Central Water
Commission reports that dams have submerged
over 50 lakh hectares of forests in India.
„ Dams destroy large tracts of fertile land
through salinity and waterlogging. In India,
this problem has affected 30 to 60 lakh
hectares of agricultural land.
„ Large dams are expensive. In Rajasthan, the
organisation Tarun Bharat Sangh has helped
villagers build or restore earthern embankments
or small dams. Their irrigation cost is Rs. 500
per hectare, while supplying one hectare with
irrigation from the SSP will cost Rs. 1,70,000.
„ Dams have displaced about 42 million people
in India since independence. Of these, 62%
are tribals or members of the schedule castes.
„ Dams do not fulfil power generation and
irrigation water estimates.
There are better, cheaper and less
destructive alternatives to large dams,
whether to meet our energy or water needs.
26
The River-Linking Project (RLP) in India proposes
to link 14 Himalayan rivers in the north and 16
peninsular rivers in the south.

A number of leading environmentalists say that the

project could be an ecological disaster. It would
cause a total loss of 8,000 sq. km. of land entailing
a loss of forests, biodiversity, reduction in
downstream flows, damage to fisheries and wild
life, displacement of people, conflicts over water
sharing and pressure created on land by millions of
cubic tonnes of water that might cause seismic
tremors. RLP is also a linking of pollution. Not to
forget the Rs. 5,60,000 crores needed for the project.

No feasibility studies, detailed project reports or

realistic estimates of costs have been prepared for
this huge project as yet.

27
 HOW DOES
WATER AFFECT ME?

Health: Dirty water

kills. The public
health implications of
unclean water are
enormous. The lack
of wastewater treatment and drainage
facilities, and release of chemicals from
industrial, mining and agricultural practices
pollute our ground and surface water
resources. Contaminated water can cause

Water-related diseases kill more than

5 million people each year. About 2.3
C T billion people suffer from diseases
FA linked to dirty water. Some 60% of
all infant mortality worldwide is
linked to infectious and parasitic
diseases, most of them water-related.

28
 diseases like gastroenteritis, typhoid,
hepatitis, dysentery and cholera. It can also
lead to poisoning by drinking contaminated
water or eating seafood that comes from
polluted waters.

KNOW...
DID YOU

Sukinda valley in Orissa and Vapi in

Maharashtra are among the 10 most
polluted spots on the planet. Around 70% of the
surface water and 60% of the drinking water in
Sukinda, a chromite ore mining area, is polluted.
The groundwater in Vapi, an industrial area,
contains 96 times higher mercury than the
prescribed safety norm.

29
 BOTTLED WATER

India is the 10th largest bottled water

consumer in the world. People buy bottled
water thinking it is safer than other sources.

„ This industry is directly linked to apathy

towards the environment - the more we
pollute our water sources, the higher the
sales of bottled water.
„ The demand for bottled water has increased
from 2 million cases in 1990 to 68 million
cases in 2006. Most bottling plants depend on
groundwater, creating a huge water stress in
the areas where they operate.
Source: Compiled from a number of sources by CSE.

Cost of producing 1 litre branded bottled drinking water*

Cap Rs 0.25
Bottle Rs 1.50 - 2.50
Treatment Rs 0.10 - 0.25
Label Rs 0.15 - 0.25
Carton Rs 0.50
Transportation Rs 0.10 - 0.25
Others (tapa and case) Rs 0.25
Total cost (excluding labor,
marketing and tax) Rs 2.85 - 4.25
Selling cost Rs 10.0 - 12.0
* The prices are indicative. Compiled during 2003-2004.

30
 Water Shortages:
India is depleting its
groundwater so fast
that water scarcity
could threaten entire
regions, drive people
off their land and stunt
India’s ability to feed
itself.

Water is scarce in most parts of our country.

In many villages, women walk several
kilometres to collect a few pots of water. In
many urban areas water is available only for
a few hours a day.

Water scarcity is also a source of political

tension between several states in India.
Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are arguing over
the sharing of the Cauvery waters.
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat
continue to fight over the allocation of the
Narmada waters.

31
 Loss of Wildlife and Biodiversity: Over-
exploiting of marine resources for food,
pollution of our water resources, damming
of rivers and

Marine Photobank
draining of
wetlands and
water bodies
have had a
tremendous
impact on
wildlife and
biodiversity. Few species can survive such
dramatically altered aquatic environments.

By 2050, 1 in 4 people will

FACT
live in countries affected by
chronic or recurrent shortages
of freshwater. By 2050, nearly
7 billion people in 60 countries
will face water scarcity.

KNOW...
DID YOU

The Smooth-coated Otter population in

India is rapidly declining. The greatest threat to
its survival is the rapid depletion of the wetlands.

32
 WATER AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
“The most significant impact of climate
change is expected in respect to availability of
water”, states Dr. R K Pachauri, Nobel Peace
Prize recipient 2007 as Chairman of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Fresh Water Woes

Several areas of the world are already water
stressed. The situation could worsen due to
changes in precipitation patterns, increasing
salinity of groundwater due to a rise in sea
levels and decreased river flow due to
melting of glaciers.

Sea Level Rise

As the water temperatures in the oceans rise
and the seas become less dense, they will
spread, occupying more surface area on the
planet. As mountain glaciers and polar ice
caps melt, sea levels will further rise
threatening island nations and coastal areas.
33
 KNOW...
DID YOU

Recent research points out that 4% of

global warming is due to dams. This estimate was
published by Ivan Lima from Brazil’s National
Institute for Space Research. Lima’s calculations
estimate that the world’s 52,000 large dams
produce approximately 104 million metric tonnes
of methane each year due to the rotting of organic
material in the reservoirs.

34
 MAKING OUR USE OF
WATER MORE SUSTAINABLE

„ Conserve water: Use only what is required

in our homes and offices as well as in
agriculture, irrigation and industries.

„ Recharge water sources through rainwater

harvesting and regulate the amount of water
pumped from our groundwater sources.
Rainwater harvesting means collecting
rainwater and storing it. It arrests
groundwater depletion, raises the declining
water table and augments water supply.

„ Fresh water sources must not be polluted:

Industrial effluents, domestic wastewater
and sewage must be treated properly before
being discharged. Over-exploitation of
marine resources needs to be strictly
regulated.

35
 „ Generate new sources: Desalination of
seawater may solve our water problems in
the future. However, no large scale and
cheap technology is presently available.

KNOW...
DID YOU

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate

Change (IPCC) predicts that water supplies
stored in glaciers and snow cover are projected to
decline, reducing water availability in regions
dependent on glacier melt, where more than one-
sixth of the world population currently lives. The
Gangotri Glacier that feeds the Ganga has receded
by over 14 km in the last century alone.

36
 „ Improve agricultural practices that help to
conserve water: Mulching is the application
of organic or inorganic material to the soil.
This slows down surface run-off, improves
soil moisture, reduces evaporation losses
and improves soil fertility. Use of efficient
watering systems such as drip irrigation and
sprinklers also reduce water consumption.

„ Minimise dependence on large projects:

Mini-hydropower plants, that produce
between 100kW and 1MW are more
economical to build and operate; plus have
minimal impacts on the environment.

KNOW...
DID YOU

When you pour used motor oil into gutters

or drains or onto the ground it seeps into
the soil. A litre of motor oil that seeps into
groundwater can pollute 11,37,500 litres
of drinking water.

37
 HANDY TIPS

Try to do one thing each day that will result

in saving water. Don’t worry if the savings
are minimal, every drop counts!

38
 IN YOUR HOME & GARDEN

„ Use only as much water as you require.

„ Close the taps tightly after use.
„ Don’t leave the tap running when you
brush your teeth or wash your face.
„ Fix any leaking taps and toilet tanks.
„ Use a bucket while bathing instead of a
shower or take a short shower.
„ When washing the car, use water from a
bucket and not a hose pipe.
„ Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily.
„ Correctly dispose of hazardous household
products. Keep paints, used oil, cleaning
solvents and other hazardous household
chemicals out of drains, sinks and toilets.
„ Fewer concrete and asphalt surfaces help
the soil absorb more water and regenerate
groundwater.
„ Practise Rainwater Harvesting.
„ Maintain septic systems properly.
„ Form a group of water-conscious people
and encourage others to join.

39
SUCCESS STORY
The word Rajasthan evokes
visions of dry parched
riverbeds and hot arid lands.
All that has now changed
due to Rajendra Singh, the
founder of Tarun Bharat
Sangh. The organisation has
worked tirelessly to make
many regions of Rajasthan drought-free.

Rajendra Singh’s journey began in Gopalpura, a

small village in Alwar district, where he built a
johad, a small earthen check dam. The next year
the village wells had water even in the summer.
Following this success, another johad was built
that resulted in the Arvari River, dead for 40 years,
to flow again. To date 4,500 johads have been built
in 800 villages in Rajasthan, bringing back to life
the Ruparel, Bhagwani, Sarsa and Jahajwali rivers.

In 2005, Rajendra Singh also established a water

university called Tarun Jal Vidyapeeth in Alwar
district. The University aims to help farmers
better understand the intricacies of effective
water management and evolve financially-
viable, socially-acceptable and ecologically-
sustainable solutions to water crises.

40
 AT SCHOOL & AT WORK

„ Conserve water at home, at school and at

work.
„ Organise a tree planting activity.
„ Spread the message of water conservation.

WHEN TRAVELLING

„ Do not buy bottled water; carry what you

need for the journey from home.
„ Do not throw garbage into freshwater
sources like rivers when on picnics.
„ Do not use plastic bags to throw puja
offerings (nirmalya) into the sea. Better
still, like many temples you can also
compost your puja offerings to use as an
organic fertiliser in your garden.

It takes about 3 litres

of groundwater to
make one litre of T
bottled water. FAC

41
SUCCESS STORY
Shree Padre

“Those who know the

value of water call it as
‘jeevjal’. It is the basis of
life. If somebody were
asked to point fingers at
the major reason for the
water crisis, the finger would turn to each one
of us. The root of the problem lies with each
one of us disowning our responsibilities
towards water”, writes Shree Padre in his book
Rain Water Harvesting.

His forum Jalakoota documents details of

successful rainwater harvesting initiatives that
he conveys to thousands of farmers in
Karnataka and Kerala who have benefited from
his articles and campaigns. He is popularly
known as the ' Rain Man of Canara Coast '
having written 10 books, conducted more than
450 slide shows and traveled 30,000 kms to
spread the message of rainwater harvesting to
people. “If water scarcity splits people, rain
harvesting brings them together” says Shree
Padre.

42
 LEGISLATION
1860 - Indian Penal Code, Under Section 277 any person
fouling water of public spring or reservoir is to be
penalised.

1974 - The Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution)

Act: Provides for prevention and control of water pollution
and maintaining or restoring wholesomeness of water. It
establishes standards for water quality and effluents.
Polluting industries must seek permission to discharge
waste into effluent bodies. The Central Pollution Control
Board (CPCB) was constituted under this Act.

1977 - The Water Cess Act: Central and State

Governments have to provide funds for CPCB and SPCBs
for implementing provisions of the Act.

1986 - Environment Protection Act: authorises the

Central Government to protect the environment to maintain
certain water quality standards and prevent water pollution.

Ground water legislation: The Central Ground Water

Authority has been constituted under Section 3 (3) of the
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to regulate and control
development and management of ground water resources in
India.

Rain Water Harvesting Legislation: This has been

enacted in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar
Pradesh.

43
 IMPORTANT RESOURCES

WEBSITES:
http://www.envis.nic.in
„ The Environmental Information Service provides
information on a whole range of environmental issues.

http://www.cse.org
„ The Centre for Science and Environment website is an
excellent resource for environmental issues and possible
solutions.

http://www.indianwaterportal.org
„ This website has a a good database of information and
data covering various water-related issues in India.

http://www.worldwatercouncil.org
„ This website is an international network of water
specialists and organisations that has information on world
water issues.

http://www.icran.org
„ The International Coral Reef Action Network covers
issues and information about coral reefs around the world.

http://www.ioinst.org
„ The International Ocean Institute website is dedicated to
preserving the health of the world’s oceans.

44
 IMPORTANT RESOURCES

ORGANISATIONS:
Water Resource Management: Tarun Bharat Sangh
Tel: +91-1465-225043
Email: rajendrasingh@tarunbharatsangh.org
Website: http://www.tarunbharatsangh.org

Information: Eureka Forbes Institute of Environment

Tel: +91-22-2430 1725
Email: rudolf@eurekaforbes.com
Website: http://www.eurekaforbes.com

Marine Conservation: Reefwatch

Email: info@thereefchannel.com
Website: http://www.reefwatch.org

Rainwater Harvesting: KRG Rainwater Harvesting

Foundation
Tel: +91-44- 2621 5060/554 93117
Email: krgrainwaterharvesting@rediffmail.com
Website: http://www.krg-rainwater.com

For information, contact:

Centre for Environmental Research and Education
Email: cere_india@yahoo.co.in
Website: www.cere-india.org

45
 RECHARGE
REPLENISH
REJUVENATE
REVITALISE
RESPECT

Water

ISBN 978-81-902018-0-3

PRICE Rs. 50/-

PRINTED IN INDIA
This Series of 6 Information Booklets on
Environmental Sustainability includes the titles:

Waste & I
Water & I
Energy & I
Biodiversity & I
Citizenship & I
Climate Change & I

The Centre for Environmental Research and

Education (CERE) is a Mumbai-based non-profit
organisation that works to promote environmental
sustainability.