Tag: ground water

Salinity, fluoride, iron, and lead levels high in A’bad groundwater

Posted on

Photo Courtesy ; Vecteezy

Ahmedabad : Data from the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti shows that more than half of Gujarat districts are affected by salinity, fluorides, and nitrites in their groundwater. Ahmedabad district is afflicted by five of the six issues flagged by the Union ministry, according to a response by Ashwini Kumar Choubey, MoS (environment, forests, and climate change), in response to a question by Rajya Sabha member Parimal Nathwani. Groundwater in Ahmedabad was found to have excessive levels of salinity, fluoride, nitrate, iron, and lead, the data shows. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCBP) using National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP) data for 2023 including data from 88 monitoring wells in Gujarat stated that73 of these wells were monitored in 2023 and the water in 52 of them were found to have fluoride content within safe limits, while the other 21 were ‘non-complying’. The data shows that of the 33 districts in Gujarat, 28 have relatively high salinity levels, 30 have high fluoride levels, 32 nitrites, 12 arsenic, 14 iron and one has excessive lead. While salinity renders water hard to use for drinking and irrigation, the other ions can cause several health issues, experts said. However, the overall trend is an improvement in groundwater levels and improved water quality due to availability of surface water via the Narmada canals. Another set of data, shared by Bishweswar Tudu, MoS (Jal Shakti) in response to Keshari Devi Patel in the Lok Sabha, shows that 51 ‘assessment units’ or wells in Gujarat fall in the OCS(overexploited, critical and semi-critical) categories. The data shows that Mehsana district had the most such assessment units, 10, and the district is among 30 in India that had 10 or more such units. It was followed by Banaskantha with 9 units.

Photo Courtesy : Times Of India

NeeRain is proud to republish this blog to spread awareness about the situation of water, for our stakeholders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

This blog is published by:

Times Of India

We would like to spread this for the benefit of fellow Indians.

Author : Parth Shashtri

Published On : 13 Feb, 2023

 

Rainwater harvesting a lifeline for 900 families

Posted on

Photo Courtesy : The Hindu

UDAIPUR: Capturing rainwater is the most sustainable solution to deal with water scarcity in Rajasthan and specially when the technique is the traditional wisdom of the desert state.
According to Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), out of 243 blocks in Rajasthan, 196 fall in the critical zone. This means that in these regions, the annual withdrawal of water from underground is more than what falls as rain. There is growing imbalance between demand and supply of water in the state.

As per international standards, availability of water below 500 cubic meter is considered as absolute water scarcity. The annual per capita availability of water in the state is expected to go down to 439 m3 by 2050 which was 840 m3 in 2001 and against the national average of 1,140 m3 by 2050. Wells for India, (WI) a UK-based NGO which have been working for three decades for the water cause, has helped people to deal with water scarcity through rainwater capturing techniques. WI with its partner GRAVIS, another NGO helped construction and repair of 895 taankas in Pabupura cluster in the Phalodi block of Jodhpur district which has ensured water security to 900 families. These Taankas have of 21,000 litre capacity.

Now 900 families have water source at their doorstep for a period varying from 9 to 12 months. “The intervention has helped women in saving time, money and labour. Their working hours have reduced from 18 to 15 hours and now they can relax for around nine hours a day as compared six hours in the past. The increased water availability for a longer duration has reduced physical workload, mental stress and health related problems of women,” says OP Sharma, country director, WI.

Photo Courtesy : engineering and architecture

Tanka beneficiaries started to take bath and wash clothes more frequently. The water use in washing clothes and taking bath has increased by more than 4 times, whereas the water used by animals has increased by 2.5 times. Moreover, daily cleaning of utensils and water storage pots has substantially increased. Above 70% of the tanka families have started using alum/chlorine tablets to purify their drinking water, whereas more than 80% of the families have started using ladle to take water from the pot. Last but not least, expenditure incurred on water for drinking and domestic purpose including the water for animals reduced from 2 to 3 times.

Similarly in Hilly regions of Bhinder block of Udaipur seen the significant impacton increase in irrigated area on account of mainly ground water / well rechargedue to construction of small water harvesting works such as loose stone checkdams, masonry dams etc. Prior to construction of these structures the totalirrigated area under the command of these 39 existing wells (i.e in 2004) was only 23 hectare, which has now been (up to Rabi 2016 ) increased to 80 hectare. Irrigated area is showing the significant impact of these small water harvesting works on increasing the availability of water.

NeeRain is proud to republish this blog to spread awareness about the situation of water, for our stakeholders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

This blog is published by:

Times Of India

We would like to spread this for the benefit of fellow Indians.

Author : Times Of India

Published On : 22 Mar, 2017

A world without water: Scary future lies ahead

Posted on

We are living in water-stressed times; there are water-haves and a rising tide of water have-nots.

Photo Courtesy : Deccan Chronicle

In his 2015 sci-fi thriller, The Water Knife, set in Phoenix, Arizona, sometimein the near, dystopian future, novelist Paolo aacigalupi talks about placesthat are catastrophically water-starved, where suburbs have morphed intoghost towns and where people are fleeing drought. A riveting character in the book called Angel is a “water knife”, tasked to infiltrate and sabotage the water supplies of competing states.

I read excerpts of the book. It is racy, graphic, and terrifying, and not in the realm of the implausible anymore. We are living in water-stressed times; there are water-haves and a rising tide of water have-nots. A friend who lives in Gurgaon recently tweeted that in upscale condominiums in his city, there is free, unmetered, unlimited water for residents and one can actually leave a tap running and go off for a week with no charge and minimal consequences.

Meanwhile, the residents of Chennai, India’s sixth largest city, are livingthrough horrific times, though it rained a little earlier this week. Chennai has basically almost run out of water. The city is almost entirely dependent on the northeast monsoon, which starts in October. Last year, it received very little rainfall. Even thousands of kilometers away from Chennai, it is hard to insulate oneself against its troubles. All the four reservoirs that supply Chennai its water are running dry this summer because of scant rainfall in 2018.

Chennai’s water crisis is front-page news; friends’ Facebook posts describe in grim detail what is it is like to go without enough water day after day. There are images and video clips of long queues of people around water tankers in searing heat; there have been reports of scuffles over water. Many of Chennai’s hotels are rationing water for guests, and some private companies have reportedly asked their staff to work from home.

This week, the state government has announced that a train will bring water to Chennai from Jolarpettai in Vellore district, more than 200 km, away at a huge cost. The Opposition DMK leadership is against the idea. In short, more troubles lie ahead.

Chennai makes the headlines because it is a metropolitan city. But it is by no means the only place suffering acute water stress. Nearly half the country is grappling with drought-like conditions, and this has been particularly bad this year in western and southern India because of the below-average rainfall.

The question that interests me most about Chennai is how did it get to this sorry state? Tamil Nadu was perhaps the first state in India to make rainwater harvesting (RWH) mandatory for all buildings in 2003. Chennai has more than eight lakh RWH structures. So why are so many people in that city facing such an acute water shortage?

There hangs a tale which explains just about every mess that you see in nurban India. A building with a rainwater harvesting system on paper does not mean it actually works. A bit like the existence of a toilet does not mean it is used.

It will not work if it is not maintained properly. Friends in Chennai tell me there is huge apathy among a lot of people towards maintaining these structures. The water crisis had never been this acute. Many of the rainwater harvesting structures in Chennai are also inefficient.

If Chennai and so many other cities are facing a water crisis today, one bigreason is that neither policymakers nor many people living in these places truly realise the horrors of running out of water. If it starts raining anytime soon, people will forget their recent sufferings. That’s why the inefficiencies in the water sector remain, and rainwater storage and reuse and treatment of greywater are not given the importance that they deserve.

Here is one scandalous statistic about water losses. Lack of proper maintenance of infrastructure causes losses of almost 40 per cent of piped water in urban India.

Photo Courtesy : Quizlet

Chennai is currently in the news, but the big picture regarding water in India is grim. The Niti Aayog, the government’s think tank, acknowledges that nearly 600 million people in the country face high-to extreme water stress. There is a deepening national groundwater crisis, with 54 per cent of wells declining in level due to unsustainable withdrawals for irrigation.

The Narendra Modi government’s new Jal Shakti (water) ministry has announced a grand plan to provide piped water connections to every household in India by 2024. But the key question remains — what will happen if there is no water to give?

What will it take to realise that time is running out and we have to also wake up to simple ideas about conserving water. India captures only eight per cent of its annual rainfall. This is among the lowest in the world. Our ancestors used to capture far more. But those traditional methods have been neglected to the point where most are in ruins. We also don’t use our wastewater well.

There is much talk about security. It is time to realise that water is a security issue. Millions of Indians are not water-secure. Fights are breaking out over water. In Madhya Pradesh, the state government has reportedly asked the police in all its 52 districts to guard water sources. An existential threat hovers over many prosperous pockets of India. A drought is a huge part of the problem. The situation is getting steadily worse with unregulated extraction of groundwater, which is depleting underground aquifers. Take Bengaluru. Whoever has money drills a borewell to tap groundwater in the newer suburban areas where tech companies are clustered in the city.

A few years ago, I remember meeting a young hip technocrat who told me that “l fear the day when I will have soap all over my face and there is not a drop of water coming out of the tap”.

But I also saw a fascinating initiative called the Participatory Aquifer Mapping Project, which sought to involve Bengaluru’s residents in sharing information about borewells in their communities so that the city’s policymakers could learn what was happening underground and begin to craft a suitable response.

Today, in this country, demand for water vastly outstrips supply; the situation can deteriorate sharply unless we realise that this is an emergency and we must treat water as a precious resource and everyone must work towards conserving it.

The future could well resemble dystopian fiction.

NeeRain is proud to republish this blog to spread awareness about the situation of water, for our stakeholders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

This blog is published by:

Deccan Chronicle

We would like to spread this for the benefit of fellow Indians.

Author : Patralekha Chatterjee

Published On: 28, June, 2019

As groundwater level depletes, city stares at the bottom of well

Posted on

Photo Courtesy: Mumbai Mirror

Citizens across the city are reporting about an alarming depletion of groundwater. Wells situated in private properties and temples are almost running dry, they say.

Experts claim that although Mumbai is blessed with abundant groundwater, the low levels in the wells could be due to the massive construction taking place in the city. There are about 6,000 construction sites in Greater Mumbai, each one digging deep piles into the ground for making basements.

The issue was sparked early this month on Parsi community chat groups with members reporting low water levels in the wells inside several fire temples across the city. The well is a crucial component in any fire temple without which no liturgical ceremonies can be performed.

Juhu resident and civic activist Zoru Bhathena said the sweet water well on his property generally has 5 feet to 7 feet of water around this time of the year.

“This year, it has plummeted to just 3 feet,” he told Mirror. “I asked the neighbours and friends in the locality, and they pointed to a huge construction site near my house where the ground had a deep excavation for a basement,” he said.

“Substantial water extraction accompanies basement construction impacting water resources in the area significantly,” he added.

Several other residents in Juhu too complained that there was hardly any water left in their borewells with rocks at the bottom visible.

Bhathena has written to the Principal Secretary, Environment & Climate Change, Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority and BMC commissioner regarding this.

The total water stocks in the seven lakes that supply water for Mumbai’s daily needs stood at 9 lakh million litres as on January 15 62% of the required quantum. On the same date last year, water stocks were at 9.59 lakh million litres or 66% of the required quantum which was also higher than this year’s situation.

In Thakur Complex, Kandivali (east), Nishant Mody said that they have seen a significant reduction in borewell water supply from January 9. Initially, residents suspected it was due to water leakage or a pump-related issue.

“We have had to increase our pump running time and reduce the water usage in the garden to compensate for this reduction. Our security personnel who also works in a nearby housing society, observed similar depletion around the same dates,” said Mody.

Structural experts and environmentalists Mirror spoke to said that they were not surprised. Alpa Sheth, a structural engineer, said that the proliferation of skyscrapers could be the reason. Most have 3-4 level basements.

“Mumbai is a city beside the sea and the water table is bound to be high. If so many construction sites are going to go below the ground and suck out the water, its effect will be seen somewhere,” she said.

Amar Joshi, a geologist, said that the rampant piling work that the city is witnessing could be a cause for depletion of ground water. “Besides, there are many infrastructure projects like the coastal road twin tunnel or the underground metro where digging is done several metres below the ground.

The groundwater that is sucked out is all wasted,” said Joshi. He added that borewells in areas like Dhobi Talao once catered to a much larger number of water tankers than at present.

Environmentalist Subhajit Mukherjee, founder of the NGO Mission Green Mumbai, said climate change could also be attributed as one of the factors to these complaints of depleting ground water levels. “Earlier, the rain pattern was such that through the four monsoon months, the city would receive continuous rain, allowing the water to soak in at ease. But now the situation is such that the city gets intense rain in a short spell, making up for all the four months.

This large quantum of rainwater cannot be soaked in easily, leading to a run-off,” said Mukherjee Bhagwan Kesbhat, founder of the NGO Waatavaran Foundation, who also worked as a programme coordinator with the NGO Paani Foundation, said that historically Mumbai has been known as the city of wells.

“The city was not dependent on outside water which now comes from the seven lakes situated outside the city limits. However, as the population grew, the need for these lakes was felt. Despite abundant rainfall, we have not taken advantage of it by harvesting rainwater. In the event of a bad monsoon, the water stress in Mumbai will be tremendous,” he said.

NeeRain is proud to republish this blog to spread awareness about the situation of water, for our stakeholders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

This blog is published by:

Mumbai Mirror

We would like to spread this for the benefit of fellow Indians.

Author : Richa Pinto

Published On: 21, January, 2024

Recharge Before Groundwater Depletes

Posted on

Photo Courtesy : The Interview World

NeeRain, an innovation-oriented startup, tackles the groundwater crisis through the use of local, decentralized rooftop rainwater filters. These filters empower individuals to lead water-secure lives. Furthermore, the startup holds patents for a range of rooftop rainwater filters that are both easy to use and cost-effective. Their goal is to harvest rooftop rainwater in every habitat.

Through extensive research, NeeRain’s team has achieved a technological breakthrough in rooftop rainwater filters. This advancement is bringing joy to millions of people worldwide by providing a sustainable solution to water scarcity.

As a young startup, NeeRain focuses on the cause of rooftop rainwater harvesting. They believe that the populace receives rooftop rainwater freely. However, much of it goes to waste. On this concept, NeeRain offers patented technologies to capture every drop of rainwater, allowing it in daily activities or diverting to recharge groundwater sources.

In an exclusive interaction with The Interview World, Naishal Shah, Co-founder and CEO of NeeRain Pvt. Ltd., emphasizes the startup’s mission to combat groundwater depletion. The company aims to achieve this by offering an affordable system to capture and redirect rainwater to aquifers. Here are key excerpts from his insightful interaction.

Q: What features does your rainwater harvesting system incorporate, and how does it contribute to the overall groundwater sustainability?

A: Rainwater is freely available during monsoon. However, the water we receive goes down to drains. Here, we provide a technology that enables people efficiently filter the rainwater and direct it towards the borewell or tank, eventually recharging groundwater. Our advanced technology employs a two-stage water filtration system. Once filtered, all the water can either enter the borewell or the tank. Remarkably, a 1000-square-foot roof can yield approximately 50,000 to 60,000 litres of water in just one rainy season in places like Delhi and Ahmedabad.

If we shift our focus to regions like Kerala or Mumbai, a 1000-square-foot roof has the potential to provide an impressive 2-3 lakh litres of water in a single rainy season. Currently, a significant portion of this water is either wasted, blocked, or eventually drains into rivers and seas. By implementing a simple filtration process, we can redirect this water directly into the borewell and tank, storing valuable rainwater. Furthermore, channeling rainwater through the borewell contributes to an increase in groundwater levels.

The water filtered through our system is exceptionally clean, and its introduction into the groundwater does not lead to deterioration. Notably, rainwater captured directly does not exhibit hardness or Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). Considering the alarming rise in groundwater depletion, directing rainwater to the groundwater directly presents a practical solution to elevate groundwater levels and address this urgent concern.

Q: What is the cost estimate for implementing a rainwater harvesting unit suitable for a 1000 sq. feet rooftop area?

A: The cost for our rainwater harvesting unit is Rs. 2950. One can complete any additional small and heavy plumbing work within a budget of Rs. 10,000. Our system boasts a lifespan of 10 years, and the maintenance is hassle-free with a simple filter removal and washing process, eliminating any recurring costs. You can easily manage this routine maintenance by hiring your local plumber, as no special technical skills are necessary for setting up our rainwater harvesting unit.

Having filed for a patent in 2018, we successfully obtained approval in 2020. To date, we have already installed over 10,000 units, actively promoting the importance of rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge. We remain committed to spreading this message, encouraging more people to take an interest in sustainable water management. Remarkably, we have received zero complaints about the performance of our products.

Q: Can you provide supporting data or evidence to substantiate the claim that 30 crore liters of water have been saved over the course of the last 2 years?

A: Certainly, all the data is at our disposal, categorized by states and cities based on the deployment of rainwater harvesting units. For instance, in Delhi alone, where we’ve implemented these units, capturing 500 mm of rainfall during a season can result in saving a substantial 50,000 litres of water. We’ve meticulously collected data from households in Delhi, supporting our assertion with accurate figures.

As a result, the harvested rainwater ensures that clean water percolates into the ground, safeguarding water quality and preventing contamination in the process. This approach aligns with our commitment to sustainable water management.

Q: What underlying technology powers your system?

A: Our system operates based on gravity, eliminating the need for electric power or any additional mechanical devices. The system incorporates two-stage filters: a 400-micron net for the initial stage and a 200-micron net for the second stage. In the first stage, larger particulates are filtered, followed by the filtration of smaller particulates in the second stage. This sequential process ensures that the water entering the ground is thoroughly purified. As a result, your water resource remains untainted, and rainwater is effectively conserved.

Photo Courtesy : The Interview World

Neerain is proud to republish this blog for spreading awareness about situation of water, for our stake holders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

This blog is published by:

The Interview World

We would like to spread this for the benefit of fellow Indians.

Publish On: 23, January, 2024

Water Crisis In Pune : No Permission To New Building In PMRDA Without Assessment : Saurabh Rao

Posted on

Photo Courtesy : Pune Pulse

Second meeting called by the Divisional Commissioner of Pune Saurabh Rao regarding the water crisis in PMC and PCMC was held today. More than 60 residents representing various organisations attended the meeting raising various issues.

Advocate Satya Muley shared important points that were discussed with Pune Pulse.

Important minutes of meeting

Divisional Commissioner of Pune announced in presence of PMRDA Commissioner that henceforth no new permissions shall be given in PMRDA jurisdiction without ascertaining availability and capability of local body/PMRDA/Zilla parishad to provide water to the new construction. No new construction permission shall be provided based on an affidavit taken from builders.

Almost 60 to 70 representatives of housing Societies, Housing Federations, Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat, Maharashtra Housing  societies federation were present.

The demand for providing water through tankers by PMC and PCMc was once again discussed and DC mentioned that the subject is being evaluated.

Spot visits to both corporations have been directed to understand the ground level realities and offer solutions.

Dedicated email id to be shared by both corporations to register complaints from housing complexes regarding water scarcity.

From the next meeting complaints to be received in advance and solutions to be offered during the next monthly meeting.

Adv Satya Muley stated that it is a district wide problem and intensive efforts by the special committee is required. Although providing immediate solutions to current scarcity is important, long term planning is also important which appears to be lacking by both the corporations.

Sunil Koloti, a resident of Nyati Windchimes who was part of the meeting stated that the meeting was fruitful but only it should turn into prompt action. 75 percent of our monthly maintenance goes into procuring water through tankers. PMC must come up with some solution now.

Another resident, Dilip Shah, founder of Undri Residents Forum said, “There were many residents who were present today.  We are hoping that strong action is taken by PMC as well as PCMC. It’s high time citizens get their due. Potable drinking water is what we are demanding. This meeting should not turn into another assurance but no result.”

Neerain is proud to republish this blog for spreading awareness about situation of water, for our stake holders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

This blog is published by:

Pune Pulse

We would like to spread this for the benefit of fellow Indians.

Publish On: 15, January, 2024

Making India water-secure: Solutions for the future

Posted on

Photo courtesy: Indiamart

‘Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink’ – this predicament of the sailors in Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s famous poem is a portent to our collective futures; one with little to no access to safe water. In 2019, Chennai, a city that receives twice London’s average annual rainfall at 1,400 mm, had to meet its water needs by trucking in 10 million liters of water a day. The 2018 drinking water crisis in ‘Queen of Hills’ Shimla made international headlines when policemen were deployed on the ground to manage water distribution.

The NITI Aayog’s 2018 Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) depicts an unsettling picture of macro-water availability in India – despite being home to 17% of the world’s population, it has only 4% of the world’s freshwater resources. The total water demand in India is projected to increase by 22% and 32% in 2025 and 2050 respectively and, by 2050, 85% of this demand is expected to come from industrial and domestic sectors alone. Among the regions, the south and the northwest  are expected to face the worst in next two years. About two lakh people die every year due to inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene and ~820 million Indians living in twelve river basins across the country have per capita water availability close to or lower than 1000m3, the official threshold for water scarcity as per the Falkenmark Index.

To address this looming water crisis and ensure water security, it is imperative to devise a holistic urban water management system that can help balance biodiversity by protecting and restoring the health of waterways and wetlands, mitigate flood risk and damage, provide for sustainable and resilient communities, promote sustainable development goals (SDGs), and address the needs of the last person in the queue.

Photo courtesy : Ministry of Jal Shakti

Some of the solutions available to this end include:

  1. Rejuvenation / conservation of water bodies: Replenishing and restoring the health of natural water bodies and wetlands is the single-most effective way of securing a safe source of water. Cities, like Bengaluru, have 210 lakes, covering 3,622 acres with a capacity of 35,000 million ft3. Long-term efforts such as Namami Gange are also bearing fruits. However, for more localized solutions, it is important that traditional water storage structures such as vavsand baolis are rejuvenated and maintained.
  2. Rainwater harvesting: India receives bountiful rains – last Monsoon, India received 925 mm rainfall in just four months. A part of the immense potential to create sources of water through rainwater harvesting is being realized – as on February 2, 2023, more than 1.19 million water conservation and rainwater harvesting structures have been constructed across India.
  3. Government initiatives: In the past few years, the progress towards providing piped water supply and last-mile delivery of water has been stupendous. The one-of-its-kind Jal Jeevan Mission supplied tap water to 10.64 crore – 55% – households in rural India until November 2022 and more than 15 lakh women were trained for testing water quality through field test kits.
  4. Digital interventions: Technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and Internet of Things (IoT) can help in flood prediction, rain forecasting, detecting water leakages, treating wastewater and harvesting rainwater. AI tools are capable of analyzing the data from recycling plants and suggesting ways to reduce energy consumption up to 30%, contributing to overall sustainable practices.
  5. Stemming groundwater depletion: Since agriculture utilizes the majority of groundwater, the World Bank has been supporting innovative projects targeted at the agrarian communities. These include Atal Bhujal Yojana, the world’s largest community-led groundwater management program and Paani Bachao, Paisa Kamao in Punjab that resulted in water savings between 6 and 25% without any adverse effect on the yield. With states like West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Assam and Manipur among others reporting high levels of arsenic in the groundwater, efforts for decontamination would also have to become part of the plan.

There is no doubt that the problem of water scarcity is one of environment, population, governance, health and well-being. Having to walk long distances and stand in long lines every day, 163 million people across the country continue to live without clean water close to their homes and ~0.2 million people die every year due to inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene. The population concentration is disproportionately high in Indian cities, 30 of which, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), stare at a grave water risk.

Given the seriousness and complexity of the problem, policymakers must therefore employ systems thinking – an approach that can create an ecosystem for innovation that develops big-picture perspective, focuses on opportunities in a problem, and fosters adaptation amid rapidly-evolving environments. There is no doubt that greater involvement of communities can heavily alter the outcome of urban water management solutions. At the same time, funding such programs can meet a roadblock, especially in the wake of the devastating impacts of the pandemic. Therefore, fostering public-private partnerships (PPP) that can work by engaging communities, funders, corporate stakeholders and creating awareness will play a critical role in achieving the goal ahead.

Neerain is proud to republish this article for spreading awareness about situation of water, for our stakeholders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

This article is published by: –

We would like to spread this for the benefit of fellow Indians.

Author : Dr Nidhi Pundhir

Published On: March 28, 2023, 2:23 PM

Rain Water Harvesting- Solution to India’s Water crisis

Posted on

Photo courtesy:Indiamart

India is facing the worst water crisis in its history. As per a report by Niti Ayog 21 cities in India will run out of groundwater by 2020. According to a report published by WaterAid around 80% of India’s surface water is polluted. A majority of the population is dependent on the groundwater which is again struggling to keep pace with the needs of the rising population.  While around 200,000 people are dying each year due to inadequate access to safe water, the situation will likely get worse as the population will increase.

While cities are grappling for water supply, there is an urgent need for improved measures to manage water resources. Water conservation and management are becoming a worldwide concern due to the accelerating water shortages, rapid development, population growth and growing agriculture. In such a situation, rainwater harvesting is a viable solution to help meet this demand and solve the water crisis to some extent.

A major population heavily depend on the municipality supplied water for daily household use. This growing reliance put an unnecessary burden on the infrastructure. Rain-water harvesting can save gallons of water for daily household or office use. For every 1000 sq feet of roof space, approximately 620 gallons of water can be saved every time it rains. This source of non-potable water can be used in flushing toilets, laundry etc. The saved water can fulfil at least 70% of the water demand in a household of 3 people during a drought year. If saved for months, this water can also be used for irrigation and fulfil the water requirement of crops in a drought-like situation. Further, if used with drip irrigation, more water can be saved and dependence on municipal water supplies can be reduced to a great extent.

Photo courtesy: Indiamart

Rainwater harvesting has been adopted by many countries as a viable means to save water. With the increasing population and dependence on water, it becomes pertinent for households to start investing in rain-water harvesting systems (RWH). Govt, both at the centre and state must take a proactive step towards making it mandatory for buildings and complexes to install Rainwater Harvesting System. A huge penalty should be imposed upon building without a proper urban water management system. Considering the huge water problem, monitoring and strict action against violation of the rules are equally important to deal with the crisis.

Water conservation also lies in the hands of Corporates and individuals. Corporate consciousness towards water and individual empathy can make a huge difference. With government mandating the socio good paradigm, the corporates now equally have the onus to implement low water usage methods and social welfare policies, aimed at water management and harvesting rainwater. Corporates within their capacity can design CSR initiatives concentrating on water conservation, rain-water harvesting and spread water awareness in the most interior parts of the country.

In order to save the country from the water crisis, social consciousness has to be practised at all levels. People have to come forward and realize their responsibility towards water and make sure we take proactive measures to ensure its effective management.

Neerain is proud to republish this article for spreading awareness about situation of water, for our stakeholders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

This article is published by: –

fiinovation

We would like to spread this for the benefit of fellow Indians.

Published On:  September 7, 2019

A deeper look into the roots of Water Crisis in India

Posted on

Introduction to Water Scarcity

The issue of water scarcity is a global problem. The unequal distribution of water resources, and the great demand of freshwater globally has led to what the World Economic Forum calls as one of the largest global risks in terms of potential impact over the next decade in 2019. The increase in demand for freshwater is a result of, but not limited to, the increasing world population, changes in consumption, and industrial demands. Further, the great inequity between the developed and developing countries, in terms of water resources, grows larger as drinking water and water usage is becoming privatized and coupled with economic growth. This has led to Lower Economically Developed Countries (LEDCs) to lose opportunities to gain water shifting government priorities.

Photo courtesy: https://blog.nextias.com/water-crisis-a-complete-picture

The issue of water scarcity is best seen from the perspective of India, a crisis which affects approximately 1 million people a year. The water crisis playing out in India today can be seen as a microcosm of the overall situation that will, or already has, affected many countries in the world. Private water tank owners illegally smuggle and sell clean water at expensive prices, greatly exacerbating the issues of the water crisis in the first place. That, coupled with infrastructural issues and climate change, the issue of water scarcity in India is surely important to examine. This blog seeks to examine the causes of water scarcity in India, the effects it has on the population, and the possible solutions that already exist and/or should be implemented at a local and a national level.

Causes for the Water Crisis in India

The two major monsoons in India, the North-East and the South-West monsoons, account for a large proportion of water that can be harvested and distributed. However, as a result of climate change, monsoons are being disrupted and losing a lot of water.

According to the India Meteorological Department in 2018, the North-East monsoon was deficient by 44% while the South-West monsoon fell short by 10%. Lower rainfall has reduced water levels by about 32% in 91 major reservoirs across the country.

As stated by Impakter, “Unusual temperatures caused by climate change have made rainfall erratic with significant changes in monsoon patterns making droughts and floods more common in many parts of India.”

Photo courtesy:istock

Causes for the Water Crisis in India

The rapid urbanization of India coupled with a lack of city planning has led for former ponds to be used up due to the rising population and a general lack of infrastructure used to treat wastewater for reuse nor an appropriate method of collecting and distributing water.

According to the Central Water Commission, the country still receives enough rainfall to meet the needs of over 1 billion people. Yet, due to poor city planning and the growing population, India only catches only 8 percent through inefficient rainwater harvesting.

Effects of the Water Crisis in India

The water crisis in India affects hundreds of millions of people. Though a lot of Indians are capable of purchasing drinking water from private distributors, rural Indians are faced with walking kilometers away to reach a well or public water pump. Indians who are unable to purchase water are forced to dig bore wells, especially in times of crisis.

First, in June 2016, Latur faced the depletion of approximately 90% of water sources. Next, in 2019, Chennai completely depleted its water supply on the 19th of June, because of deficient rainfall in the previous year’s monsoons.

The vibrant ecosystems of India, and the lives of the indigenous flora and fauna, are threatened by this lack of water. In 2016, the Indian cities of Mettur and Kolathur, in the face of a drought, saw wild animals like elephants, tigers, and deers sneaking into the city in search of water. Indian gaurs in Madurai, Tamil Nadu wound up dead as they fell into wells in search of water.

Agriculture makes up about 16% of India’s economy, according to the World Bank in 2019, and employs almost 44% of India’s working population. In the absence of water, farmers wouldn’t be able to produce crops. This causes much of the farming industry in India to cease operations, collapsing the local economies of smaller Indian towns. This has led farmers and other workers in the agricultural sector to move out into cities in search for jobs. However, this increases the demand for water in major cities, and further complicates the strain that major Indian cities have on the scarce supply of water

Efforts to the Water Crisis

The Government of India has established a new ministry and launched cleaning programs in order to increase the whole country’s water use efficiency. Firstly, the Jal Shakti ministry was formed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2019. It combines the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, with the previous Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation to form a specialized ministry to clean the river Ganges, settle international water disputes, and provide safe drinking water to the people of India. The Ganga Action Plan was started in 1985 to tackle the problem of water pollution in the river Ganges, however government incompetence hindered the action plan to be anywhere close to efficient. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that his government would be investing more into managing the pollution of the various rivers in India.

Non Government Organizations (NGOs) like ‘FORCE’ and ‘Safe Water Network’, along with international organizations such as ‘We are Water’ and UNICEF are actively working to provide water supply and sanitation to villages and dealing with the overall water crisis in India. One way NGOs help is by raising social awareness of these issues. Many smaller NGOs use social media, advertising campaigns, and engaging with local people in order to educate how to manage water efficiently at a local level. For example, ‘We are Water’ publishes documentary films every year to raise social awareness on the severe water scarcity issues of India, along with other countries’ scarcity issues as well. Another way NGOs help is by creating Water Resources Projects. For example, UNICEF supported the creation of a 1000+ hectare catchment plan near Ahmednagar, Maharashtra strictly for domestic usage. The Jal Bhagirathi Foundation is prominent in Rajasthan for covering over 550 villages and reviving more than 2000 water harvesting resources in the region.

Possible Solutions

As technology improves, new innovations allow ways to manage water resources more effectively, and possibly solve the water crisis in India. One such technology is rainwater harvesting. A lot of homes already, in India, have rainwater harvesting structures in order to be self sufficient. In Banglore, Biome Environmental Trust and Friends of Lakes dug upto 1 million of these rainwater harvesting wells and connected them to the groundwater, collecting about 60% of total rainwater in the region. Desalination, or the process of treating sea water to make it fit for drinking, is a technique that can solve the problem of water shortages, especially in coastal cities. Israel has already utilized desalination for industrial and domestic use. The Indian government is already looking into desalination technologies, especially for coastal cities like Chennai. Another technology used to manage water resources is the smart water meter. WEGoT, our startup company in India, has innovated on the old analogue design of a water meter and created a new product that uses ultrasonic sensors to monitor water flow with more than 98% accuracy accompanied with a digital app to monitor your water usage intuitively with a simple UI. The installation and usage of this technology is seamless and can greatly benefit both the common customer and larger organizations who wish to manage their water consumption. Finally, irrigation techniques such as drip irrigation technology efficiently controls the amount of water to land and can possibly relieve the water scarcity in India for decades.

Conclusion

The issue of water scarcity in India already has long reaching effects, some of which can already be seen today. Although some factors, such as city planning, cannot be immediately changed to solve this problem, new technologies can definitely help alleviate and possibly reduce the intensity of this issue in India. Though the government of India is finally investing more resources into solving this problem, it’ll take the cumulative effort of every single Indian citizen to conserve their own water, and the effort of the government to implement costly, yet effective, technology and infrastructure to distribute water evenly throughout the country. And with hope, this issue can be finally solved and put to rest.

Neerain is proud to republish this article for spreading awareness about situation of water, for our stake holders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

This article is published by: –https://www.wegot.in/blog/a-deeper-look-into-the-roots-of-water-crisis-in-india/

We would like to spread this for the benefit of fellow Indians.

Author:  Khushboo Vyas

Publish On: Jul 09, 2021

 

As water level depletes, Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh villages faces acute water crisis

Posted on

HAZARIBAGH: Around 400 families residing at tribal- dominated Patal village under Patal panchayat of Keredari block are reeling under acute drinking water crisis.

Photo courtesy: water Aid

Village head Neha Lakra said, “The groundwater table has depleted, making it difficult to collect drinking water from the only well that was dug in the village. Villagers have to travel around two to three kilometres to fetch water from the springs and streams located on the fringes of the village during summer.”

Villager Nageshwar Munda said, “There is only one well in the village which gives muddy water. We have been demanding arrangements to meet our potable water requirements for long.”

Another villager, Mohan Karmali, said ‘There are around 400 households in the village. Hence, the water woes being faced by residents is a perennial problem here.”

“The Prime Minister’s ‘har ghar nal’ project to provide drinking water to each house is merely a dream for us as no team from either the Centre or the district has visited the village since the launch of the programme. The block authorities are yet to release funds for the construction of deep boring wells and hand pumps to ensure drinking water supply to the villagers,” Lakra alleged.

Refuting Lakra’s allegations against the block office, Keredari block development officer (BDO) Kishto Kumar Besra said he has received no application from her related to the water woes.

Photo courtesy: Istockphoto

Social activist Devendra Singh Deo said there is no well or hand pump at Puranpania village under Dadighaghar panchayat, which was once the den of Maoists, of Ichak block in the district. The poor villagers have to fetch filthy water from the Banhe Baba Nala. They have acquainted MLA of the Barkatha Ichak constituency Amit Yadav and MP and Union minister Annapurna Devi about the non- existence of hand pumps and wells at the village but no steps have been taken to redress the problems, he alleged.

A resident of Puranpania village, Ramesh Majhi, said they have met the local representatives, seeking help. “Collecting water from a stream down the hill is not an easy task. We have approached local MLA Amit Yadav and MP Annapurna

Devi, but are yet to hear from them,” he lamented.

Neerain is proud to republish this article for spreading awareness about situation of water, for our stake holders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

This article is published by: –

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/as-water-level-depletes-jharkhands-hazaribagh-villages-face-acute-water-crisis/articleshow/99800067.cms

We would like to spread this for the benefit of fellow Indians.

Author : Abhijit Sen

Publish On: Apr 27, 2023