The Water Act was enacted in 1974 by the Parliament of India to prevent and control water pollution. It established the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) which are responsible for enforcing the Act. The Act aims to maintain the wholesomeness of water bodies by regulating pollution discharges and empowers the boards to issue penalties. It prohibits the discharge of sewage or pollutants into water bodies like lakes. The boards have powers to obtain information, take emergency measures, apply to courts, and issue directions. Non-compliance can result in fines or jail time. In conclusion, the Act will continue to be important for managing future water scarcity and mitigating

1. WATER ACT - 1974
RATHOD RUTIK M.
D
IV:-(A)-MECH.ENGG.
ROLL NO :-1133
P. E. Society’s
Modern College Of Engineering
Shivaji Nagar, Pune – 05
First Year Engineering 2020-21

2. Introduction
● The Water Act was enacted by Parliament of india, 1974
purpose to provide for the prevention of control of water
pollution and the maintaining or restoring of
wholesomeness of water. As on day, it is applicable in all
the states of India.
The Act has 64 sections compiled in VIII chapters.
● in our country there are two board for controlling the whole processes
and activities of water act which are CPCB (central pollution control
board) and SPCB(state pollution control board) , which are operated by
central gov. and state gov. respectively.

3. objectives:
The water(prevention and pollution control) act 1974, provides for following:
1. Prevention and control of water pollution
2. Maintaining or restoring the wholesomeness of water; and
3. Establishment of board for prevention and control of water pollution.
4. To confer and assign such powers functions on the board.
5. there are two board to control water pollution which have 17 members per board.
6. it prescribes penalties to the offenders.

4. ● Under Water Act 1974, Sewage or
pollutants cannot be discharged into
water bodies including lakes and it
is the duty of the state pollution
control board to intervene and stop
such activity.

5. Functions of CPCB:-
• The Central Board may establish or recognize a laboratory or laboratories to
enable
the Central Board to perform its functions under this section efficiently.
• The Central Board may-
(a) delegate any of its functions under this Act generally or specially to any of the
committees appointed by it;
(b) do such other things and perform such other acts as it may think necessary for
the proper discharge of its functions and generally for the purpose of carrying into
effect the purposes Of this Act.

6. Functions of SPCB :-
• Functions of a State Board has been prescribed in section 17
• But the state pollution board have confined themselves only to grant consents to the
industries.
• After the legislation of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 wherein the Standards for
Effluent has been prescribed in the EP Rules, the Boards merely mentioned those rules
in the conditions of the consent.
• More so Boards are issuing consent with the condition “Zero Discharge” without
ensuring whether this condition could be met or complied by the Industry.

7. Power to Boards :-
1 power to obtain information .(person or industry)
Punishment :-
jail for 3 months or 10,000 Rs or both , with additional fine of 5,000 per day.
2 emergency measure in case of pollution of stream or well .
3 power of board to make application to court.
4 direction to person , authority , officer , etc.
punishment :-
jail for 1 ⅕ years , fine of 50,000 per day.

8. Conclusion:
•Obtaining future supplies of freshwater will be an
environmental challenge.
•With expanding population and increasing water usage, this
Act is approaching conditions of widespread scarcity.
•Water pollution is already harming freshwater around the
world.

9. References used
-https://legislative.gov.in/actsofparliamentfromtheyear/water-preventio
n-and-control-pollution-act-1974
-https://hspcb.gov.in/Water%20Act,%201974%20Relevant%20provisi
ons.pdf
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