Central Water Commission (CWC) is monitoring the water quality of rivers since late 1950s and presently its water quality network is spread all over India. The water quality network of CWC is incidental to hydrological observation network. Central Water Commission is monitoring water quality at 552 key locations (519 water quality sites and 33 water quality sampling stations) covering all the major river basins of India. CWC is also maintaining a three tier laboratory system for analysis of the parameters. The level- I laboratories are located at 295  field water quality monitoring stations on major rivers of India where physical parameters such as temperature, colour , odour electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, pH and dissolved oxygen of river water are observed . There are 18 level –II laboratories located at selected division offices to analyse 25 nos. physico- chemical characteristics and bacteriological parameters of river water. 5 level-III / II+ laboratories are functioning at Varanasi, New Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad and Coimbatore where 41 parameters including heavy metals / toxic parameters are being analysed.

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