Tag: neerain rainwater filter

Solution to water crisis: This village set an example, opposing borewell

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The villagers surprised the government and administration by refusing to get a borewell constructed in their village.

Villagers digging wells in Kedia village of Jamui district of Bihar. Photo: Pushyamitra

Pushyamitra

There is a festive atmosphere these days in Kedia village of Jamui district of Bihar. Digging of wells is going on in full swing. 16 wells are to be dug in this only organic village of Bihar. Till now two wells have been completely ready, excavation of the remaining wells is going on. The villagers acquired these wells by fighting with the government. The government wanted to provide them the facility of two state borings, but they said that they only want wells. The underground water level will fall due to boring, some people will get immediate benefit from this, the rest will be deprived. The Bihar government had to bow down to the insistence of the villagers and give permission for the digging of sixteen wells in this village.

Anandi Yadav, a farmer of the village, says, it all started three years ago when Sudhir Kumar, Principal Secretary of the Agriculture Department, came to visit the village. By that time the village had completely adopted organic farming and the Principal Secretary was very happy about this. He had said at that time that when you people are doing so much work then why not give you two state borings for irrigation from the government. But the Principal Secretary was surprised when the people of the village unanimously opposed the state boring and said that if we have to give something then we should give the wells.

After this, a survey of the farmers of the village was conducted and most of the farmers agreed in favor of wells, however, during the survey, some farmers said yes to state boring and the district administration, considering the opinion of those farmers, is preparing to install state boring in Kedia village. Started doing. When the villagers came to know about this, they opposed this plan and gave a written application to the district administration and the state agriculture department that a well should be dug in the village and not a state boring.

After this, when State Agriculture Minister Prem Kumar also came to this village, people told him this. However, even after this the work was not done easily. He had to keep requesting the state government and the district administration. Only then was approval given for 16 wells for the village.

Photo courtesy: villagesquare.in

Today, when wells are being dug in the village, the villagers are very happy. Farmer Sumant Kumar says that ever since organic farming has started in the village, our attitude towards farming has changed. By forming an organization called Jeevit Mati Kisan Samiti, we continuously do new experiments in farming so that the quality of the soil is preserved and our farming can become sustainable. He says that the most interesting thing is that Jamui is considered a water stressed area in Bihar and the water level here is the lowest. But when we are digging wells, water is coming out only at a depth of 17 to 22 feet. We are finding it difficult to collect water.

On Thursday, June 13, State Agriculture Minister Prem Kumar is going to reach Kedia village to lay the foundation stone of these wells. Interestingly, the farmers of the village have also donated 80 decimal land to the state government for these wells at the rate of 5 decimal land per well.

Ishtiaq Ahmed, associated with the organic farming campaign, says that for water conservation, it is very important to conserve soil and increase the amount of organic carbon in it. In this respect, this experiment has its own importance and it is expected that farmers across the state will adopt it. This will help in better conservation of soil and water.

Eklavya Prasad, who is engaged in developing water self-reliance in Bihar through the Megh Pine campaign, says that the way the farmer community has been accepted in Kedia is a big achievement in itself, because the well is the ideal of irrigation with self-management and regulation. The means are there, if anything happens to the well tomorrow, the farmers will not depend on anyone, they can repair it themselves. Under this pretext, the good thinking of the farmers there is also coming to the fore. If the government is digging 16 wells instead of 3-4, then it is also an initiative to promote decentralization, in this respect this decision of the government is also excellent. If water is available there at 17 to 22 feet, then obviously we need to think again about the wells and adopt it. This is positive news not just for Kedia but for entire Bihar. If this campaign is carried forward in a concrete manner then its results will be excellent.

Sanjay Kumar, Deputy Director, Planning and Soil Conservation, State Agriculture Department, calls this experiment very important and says that even though today farmers have to do irrigation through boring, sooner or later the farmers of the state will adopt this model.

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: –

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/hindistory/water/ground-water/maximum-depth-to-water-level-of-134-mbgl-is-observed-in-bikaner-district-of-rajasthan-65970

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Publish On: 11 June 2019

 

 

Water reserves are decreasing in north-west India, central Pakistan and north-west America.

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Among the users of groundwater, America is in the list with 31 percent of the worldwide total, while India is at 15 and Pakistan is at 13 percent.

Photo courtesy: down to earth

Water reserves are decreasing rapidly in North-West India, Central Pakistan and North-West America and water storage is also decreasing in the high plains and central valley of America. This matter has come to light in a new study. This study explains the Earth’s supply of fresh water and strategies to manage it sustainably.  

The study led by the University of Texas at Austin  highlights the relationship between surface and groundwater and suggests different strategies for managing both.

“I like to emphasize that there are multiple solutions and how to optimize them is important,” said Bridget Scanlon, a scientist with the UT Bureau of Economic Geology, a research unit in the Jackson School of Geosciences.

The study used data from satellites, climate models, monitoring networks and nearly 200 scientific papers to analyze Earth’s water supply. In this, it has been found out how water is changing in different areas and what are the reasons behind these changes. 

According to the study, people mainly depend on surface water. Globally, it accounts for 75 percent of irrigation and 83 percent of municipal and industrial supply annually. However, what we see on the surface is linked to groundwater flow. In the US, about 50 percent of annual runoff begins as groundwater. Worldwide, surface water that seeps into the ground accounts for about 30 percent of the annual groundwater supply.

Among the users of groundwater, America accounts for 31 percent of the world’s total, while India accounts for 15 percent and Pakistan accounts for 13 percent. Most of the groundwater is used for wheat, maize, rice, sugarcane, cotton and fodder etc.

Anthropogenic interference can significantly affect the exchange of water between surface and groundwater sources. About 85 percent of the groundwater pumped by people in the US is captured by surface water, causing declines in streamflow. Also, irrigation from surface water can increase groundwater recharge as irrigation water seeps back into the ground through the soil.

The study cites several examples of human activity affecting this flow between surface water and groundwater supplies. For example, surface water irrigation in the Columbia Plateau and Snake River Plain of the northwestern US recharged aquifers in the mid-1900s, while global models show that groundwater pumping has increased the amount of water moving into streams by 15 to 21 percent. The percentage has been greatly reduced. Global watersheds are at risk due to low flows.

Despite their interconnectedness, surface water and groundwater are often regulated and managed as separate resources. According to the researchers, future water availability depends on identifying whether surface water and groundwater are at an interface.

Photo courtesy: pinterest

The study describes various methods of managing water through both natural and engineered solutions that can help increase water supply, reduce demand, store water and keep it flowing. According to Scanlon, one of the best ways to adapt to increasing climate extremes is to store water during times of abundance and use it during times of drought.

He said that we  are facing the brunt of drought and are also struggling with floods. We’re trying to manage those extremes and one way to do that is to store water.

Annually, the world stores about 7,000–8,300 cubic kilometers of water in surface reservoirs. The researchers said it was also important to continue to develop groundwater supplies, as they are more resilient than surface aquifers during prolonged drought.

Managed groundwater recharge can help cities increase their groundwater supplies by collecting surface water and converting it into underground aquifers. Around 10,000 cubic kilometers of water is stored in this way every year around the world.

Photo courtesy: wordpress.com

Scott Tinker, director of the Bureau of Economic Geology, said this type of integrated research linking surface and groundwater is really needed to develop sustainable solutions to issues like freshwater use.

Matthew Rodale, a hydrologist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, said the research provides a useful overview of the results and potential solutions for managing water supplies while maintaining water quality. Water quality is one of the next goals in terms of being able to manage water resources , he said . This study has been published in the journal Nature Reviews Earth and Environment.

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

This blog is published by: –

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/hindistory/water/ground-water/how-to-manage-water-resources-around-the-world-study-88412

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

Author: Dayanidhi

Publish On: March 23, 2023

 

Rain Water Harvesting- builtify

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Water is everywhere in the world. But the amount of sweet water or usable water is very less . we can say it is the most scarce resource in the world right now. Many research organizations are saying that water will be finished in future. So to save water for our future generations we need to take step to save this resource.

Photo courtesy:Neerain

This can be done in various ways like not wasting water while using in your home. Using required amount of water during car wash or other home washing works. This is the consumption part saving   But if we can save the source part then that will have a great impact on our environment.

So this concept is rain water harvesting. It has been used by many people as it has lot of benefits. In india we have rainy season and it is a better option to use that resource of water. But many people in India don’t go for rainwater harvesting because they think it is an investment which won’t give any profit. But it is a way to making your building green building rather than expense.

Rain water can supplement some of your water needs, if harnessed properly. Harvested rainwater can serve a variety of purposes, some of which include:

Increases ground water recharge

Photo courtesy:Istock

Reduces sea water ingress in coastal areas

Provide water for general purposes


Photo courtesy:Pinterest

There is a tremendous potential for water harvesting in our country . Consider your own building with a flat terrace area of square meters. Assume that the average rainfall in your area is 40” or 1000mm approximately . Thus , even if only 60 percent of total rainfall is harvested , you will be able to harvest 100 x 1.0 x 0.6 = 60 cum i.e. 60,000 litres of water a year.

This volume is more than a year ‘s (about 400 days) domestic water requirement of 1 person , assuming average daily water requirement for domestic use per person is 150 litres.

If we use the stored rainwater only during the monsoons for washing clothes , washing cars etc., you will help in reducing the overall water needed from public utilities and therefore prevent water shortage in the summer.

In some developed countries, buildings are required to supplement their water needs through rainwater harvesting.

What is rain water harvesting ?

Rain water harvesting (RWH) is a technique of collection and storage of rainwater into natural reservoirs or tanks.

How it works ?

The rain water from a large surface is collected I.e from roofs and then collected into underground or overground tanks.

Methods of rain water harvesting :-

There are two types of rain water harvesting.

  1. I) Rooftop rain water harvesting
  2. II) Surface runoff water harvesting

Surface runoff water harvesting:-

In urban area rain water flows away as surface run off. This surface could be caught up and cane be recharged aquifers.

Rooftop rain water harvesting method:-

In Rooftop rain water harvesting is the technique in which roof water is collected from roofs and then stored in tanks and reservoirs.

It can be applied mostly in urban areas.

Process of rain water harvesting:-

But before knowing the process first we should know about the equipments required for rain water harvesting.

Catchment-

Catchment is the surface area where the rain water will fall and from that it is collected. The surface are is generally rooftop area. It may be flat or sloped.

Collection pipe:-

The surface area is connected to pipe. It may be one or more than one depending upon the size of the surface area.

Then filter:-

Different filters are used for filtering the rain water, such as sand gravel filter, charcol filter, pvc filter etc. The basic work is to filter the water.

First flush device:-

It is used to discharge the first rain water collected from the rain water harvesting system. The first rain water may be contaminated as it purifies the air by washing it. So it is better to avoid the first rain water to use.

Storage tank:-

After the water is filtered it is collected in storage tanks.

Process:-

First the rain water is collected through pipes from the rooftop. Then it is passed through filters to remove impurities. Then it is stored in storage tanks which is used later.

Application of rain water harvesting:-

Rain water collected from rain water harvesting can be used in many works.

Toilet and urinal flushing:-

Toilet and urinal flushing water are used but not directly contacted with human. So it is best to use rain water to that will support to our future requirement of water.

Gardening:-

Rain water can be used for gardening which the best use of it. Generally the trees get rain water during rain, but again this water can be stored to use for watering plants when there is no rain.

Washing of cars/ bikes:-

Every one in today’s world are giving priority for using personal vehicle for having speed transportation. So each people have their own vehicle at home whether it is a car or bike. To take are of them we often wash them and use a lot of amount of water which is great wastage of usable water. If we are using rain water instead of municipal water that be a great help to our environment.

Also bus , trucks can be washed off through this.

Rain water harvesting system is a must for commercial buildings. As they use a lot of amount of water.

To know more such topics go through builtifyblog.

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: –

https://blog.builtify.in/2019/08/rain-water-harvesting-builtify.html

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

Author:   builtify

Publish On: August 21, 2019

Need to reimagine rainwater harvesting and adapt it to contemporary times

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Photo courtesy: Santhosh Kumar

Rainwater harvesting has been practiced for centuries as a way to collect and store rainwater for later use. The increasing demand for water, the depletion of groundwater resources, and the adverse effects of climate change have led to a water crisis in many parts of the world. Rainwater harvesting has the potential to be a sustainable solution to address this crisis. However, it is essential to find innovative ways to make it more efficient, effective, and sustainable.

In contemporary times, there is a need to reimagine rainwater harvesting to make it more efficient and effective, and to adapt it to the current environmental, economic, and social challenges we face.

Here are some ideas for how to reimagine rainwater harvesting:

Photo courtesy:Shuttterstocks

  1. Smart Rainwater Harvesting: With the advent of smart technology, rainwater harvesting can be made more efficient by using sensors and data analytics to optimize the collection and use of rainwater. For example, sensors can be installed to monitor rainfall, water levels, and water quality, and this data can be used to automatically adjust the flow of water to different storage tanks or to trigger alerts when water quality falls below a certain level.
  2. Multi-functional infrastructure: Rainwater harvesting systems can be designed to serve multiple functions, such as providing irrigation water for landscaping or serving as a source of water for fire-fighting. This can increase the overall value of the system and make it more attractive to homeowners, businesses, and municipalities.
  3. Green roofs and walls: Green roofs and walls can be used to capture rainwater and reduce stormwater runoff. By integrating rainwater harvesting systems into green infrastructure, we can create more sustainable and resilient urban environments.
  4. Community engagement: Rainwater harvesting systems can be used to build community engagement and awareness around water issues. By involving the community in the design, implementation, and maintenance of rainwater harvesting systems, we can create a sense of ownership and pride in the system, and increase the likelihood of its long-term success.
  5. Recharging aquifers to increase water table: Rainwater is collected and can be allowed to seep into the ground, which helps recharge the aquifers. This process not only helps increase the water table but also reduces the demand for freshwater resources.

Rainwater harvesting can be an effective method for recharging aquifers, especially in areas that receive high rainfall but lack proper storage facilities. It can also help prevent flooding and erosion, and improve soil moisture content.

  1. Economic incentives: Economic incentives, such as tax rebates or subsidies, can be used to encourage the adoption of rainwater harvesting systems. This can help to overcome the initial cost barriers associated with installing these systems and make them more accessible to a wider range of stakeholders.

Overall, there are many ways to reimagine rainwater harvesting and adapt it to contemporary times. By using smart technology, integrating rainwater harvesting into green infrastructure, engaging the community, and providing economic incentives, we can create more sustainable and resilient water systems that benefit everyone.

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: –

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/voices/need-to-reimagine-rainwater-harvesting-and-adapt-it-to-contemporary-times/

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

Author:   Gurmit Singh Arora

Publish On:  May 8, 2023,

At this village school in Karnataka, every drop of rainwater is harvested and reused

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The government school in Kora village in Tumakuru has enough water for drinking, cooking, washing and gardening purposes thanks to the rainwater harvesting system installed with the help of the non-profit Biome.

With the onset of the monsoon season, Government Model Higher Primary School in Kora village in Tumakuru has been capturing every drop of rain that fell from the sky. All photos by arrangement.

Water situation in Karnataka is worrisome as several districts in the state have received deficient rainfall in the southwest monsoon season that ended last month. The region of south interior Karnataka is particularly affected, and sharing of Cauvery river’s water between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu has become a hot topic for dharna and protests.

But a village school in Tumakuru district in rain-deficient south interior region of Karnataka is not worried about the looming water crisis.

The government school has enough water for drinking, washing and gardening purposes. And the water — harvested rainwater — has been a ‘free’ gift from the heavens above.

Since June this year, with the onset of the monsoon season, Government Model Higher Primary School in Kora village in Tumakuru has been capturing every drop of rain that fell from the sky on the school premises located over 70 kilometres from the state capital Bengaluru.

Today, the rural school with 208 children studying in classes one to seven has sufficient water to use for its cooking, gardening, cleaning and drinking purposes. For drinking and cooking, the harvested rainwater is filtered with the help of RO (reverse osmosis) so that it is clean and safe to drink for the students and staff.

Also Read: Gaon Connection Launches ‘The Changemakers Project’ to Build a National Registry of Changemakers

The credit for making the school self-sufficient in water goes to Madhusudan Rao, headmaster at the school, who thought up a plan to capture, store, treat and use rainwater in his school. In a changing climate, with rainfall patterns changing, harvesting every drop of rainwater that falls on the ground is the need of the hour.

Rao has been raising awareness about various environmental issues, including water conservation, here, he is explaining his students about the rainwater harvesting system.

“I wanted to set up a rainwater harvesting system in the school. It made so much sense because it is cost effective, and promotes both water and energy conservation,” the 57-year-old headmaster told Gaon Connection.

Rao has taught for 33 years and is actively involved in the People Science Movement that popularises science and scientific outlook amongst people. He also volunteers at the Tumkur Science Centre where he raises awareness about various environmental issues, including water conservation.

To execute the rainwater harvesting plan at his school, the headmaster got in touch with Bengaluru-based Biome Environmental Solutions, which works on ecological architecture and intelligent water and sanitation designs. Biome’s rainwater harvesting work is supported by Wipro Cares, an employee-led community initiative arm of the Wipro Foundation.

Also Read: Harvesting rainwater saves the day for residents of a tribal village in Jharkhand

“First of all with the help of Biome, we identified our catchment area to capture rainwater and then started digging to collect raindrops that fall within our school premises. We now have one tank, which has the capacity of 19,250 litres, and stores rainwater,” explained Rao. This much water can meet the school’s water needs for two months.

Explaining how the rainwater harvesting system at the school works, Shivananda R S, a team leader at Biome, said: “We calculate sump [storage tank] capacity based on the rooftop area available for harvesting. The first one millimetre of rainwater which washes the terrace is let out through the first rain separator controlled by a valve.”

“Afterwards the cleaner water is passed through a masonry or wall mounted filter and stored in a rainwater sump. The stored rainwater is then pumped to an overhead tank and reused,” he added.

The rainwater harvesting system was installed in June this year. By the end of August, there was enough water for the school to use for its cooking, gardening, cleaning and drinking purposes. The water is filtered before using for drinking purposes.

According to Shivananda, the school harvests 560 kilo litres (KL) of water out of which 280 KL is stored and reused, and 280 KL is recharged annually.

https://youtu.be/iQfZk_-1Iog

The entire project of installing the rainwater harvesting system in school has been a learning process for the students too. Headmaster Rao ensured that the students watched and participated in the installation of the system.

“When the plant was being set up, we were told about rainwater harvesting and how it had huge advantages. Rao Sir told us how it was important to conserve water and not squander it so that we could avoid a water crisis in the future,” Sandhya Rani, a 13-year-old student of class 7 told Gaon Connection.

“We learnt how water can be reused for our day-to-day activities such as flushing of toilets, cleaning, gardening and cooking,” she added.

According to Shivananda, the harvested rainwater will not be able to meet the school’s water needs throughout the year, but can take care of its water requirements to a great extent. This means reducing dependence on external sources of water, such as borewells that exploit groundwater, or tankers that source water from far.

Every drop counts, as rainwater harvesting experts often point out.

Also Read: In these villages in Jaisalmer, every house has a traditional ‘beri’ to collect rainwater

Biome has been working with four schools to promote rainwater harvesting. Of these, the rainwater harvesting system is already functional in three schools and is under construction in the fourth school. The non-profit designs rainwater harvesting with inputs from schools and involves the students, teachers, and School Development and Monitoring Committee members.

“We also conduct water literacy activities in the school. We give children water quality kits, rain gauges to measure rainfall, setting up vegetable and fruit gardens, etc. We also handhold the school by maintaining the rainwater harvesting system for at least a year, till the school can function on its own without us,” said Shivananda.

https://youtu.be/sXEeizzpD_I

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: –

https://www.gaonconnection.com/amp/thechangemakersproject/changemakers-project-karnataka-rainwater-harvesting-biome-tumakuru-reuse-restore-water-conservation-52791

Author:  Laraib Fatima warsi

Publish On: 10 / Oct / 2023

 

 

India’s water crisis: The clock is ticking

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We need to promote a decentralised approach, with a key focus on water conservation, source sustainability, storage and reuse wherever possibles

Photo courtesy: Getty Images

India is facing one of its major and most serious water crisis.

After two consecutive years of weak monsoons, 330 million people — a quarter of the country’s population — are affected by a severe drought. With nearly 50 per cent of India grappling with drought-like conditions, the situation has been particularly grim this year in western and southern states that received below average rainfall.

According to the Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) report released by the Niti Aayog in 2018, 21 major cities (Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and others) are racing to reach zero groundwater levels by 2020, affecting access for 100 million people.

However, 12 per cent of India’s population is already living the ‘Day Zero’ scenario, thanks to excessive groundwater pumping, an inefficient and wasteful water management system and years of deficient rains. The CWMI report also states that by 2030, the country’s water demand is projected to be twice the available supply, implying severe water scarcity for hundreds of millions of people and an eventual six per cent loss in the country’s GDP.

The Union government recently formed a new Jal Shakti (water) ministry, which aims at tackling water issues with a holistic and integrated perspective on the subject. The ministry has announced an ambitious plan to provide piped water connections to every household in India by 2024.

Photo courtesy:  Pinterest

The ministry has set a tough target at a time when hundreds of millions don’t have access to clean water. Aiming at laying huge pipeline networks for water supply means that yet again, we are giving more preference to infrastructure. Also, the moot questions are: what will happen if there is no water to supply? What will happen to all the wastewater that gets generated?

This indicates that there is a clear disconnect between water, society and economy. Currently, we are interested in laying large networks, constructing huge storage dams, fetching water from 150 kilometres and above, which involves a huge carbon footprint.

We are valuing land more than water, neglecting our local water bodies, which have either gone dry or encroached. Also, in many Indian cities, water is not properly distributed. Some areas of mega cities like Delhi and Mumbai are privileged to get more that than the standard municipal water norm of 150 litres per capita per day (lpcd) while other areas get 40-50 lpcd.

Aggravating the problem is that the water being supplied currently is of drinking water standards.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that an individual requires around 25 litres of water daily for meeting his/her basic hygiene and food needs. The rest is used for non-potable purposes like mopping and cleaning. This indicates that for most of the non-potable uses, a quality lower than drinking water is required. Thus, for economic efficiency and environmental sustainability, water must be treated and supplied according to usage.

To top this, are issues of leakage losses, water pricing and metering of water. Lack of proper maintenance of existing infrastructure causes further losses of almost 40 per cent of piped water in urban areas.

The road ahead

Looking at the current situation, there is a need for a paradigm shift. We urgently require a transition from this ‘supply-and-supply-more water’ provision to measures which lead towards improving water use efficiency, reducing leakages, recharging/restoring local waterbodies as well as applying for higher tariffs and ownership by various stakeholders.

A recovery-based closed loop system is the need of the hour.

It is time to go back and start using our traditional practice of rainwater harvesting — catching water where it falls. Presently, India captures only eight per cent of its annual rainfall, among the lowest in the world.

Another aspect is the treatment and reuse of wastewater. About 80 per cent of the water that reaches households, leaves as waste and pollutes our waterbodies and environment. There is a huge potential in reusing and recycling this treated wastewater at least for non-potable purposes, which is cost effective.

All this leads to the fact that we need to promote a decentralised approach, with a key focus on water conservation, source sustainability, storage and reuse wherever possible.

It is important to understand that managing the water situation is not the job of only engineers but all stakeholders including hydrogeologists, economists, planners and most importantly, communities themselves.

Emphasis on behavioural change is not getting enough attention because it is nuanced and complex. But locals/citizens/ communities have a huge part to play. By keeping in check our own usage and actions, we can contribute.

As for our decision-makers, they need to re-think: Are we being sold dreams or realities?

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: –
 https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/water/india-s-water-crisis-the-clock-is-ticking-65217

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

Author:  Mahreen Matto

Publish On:  Friday 21 June 2019

Catch where it falls: Tradition for water revolution

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Photo courtesy: Getty Images

We have not understood the science and art of harvesting rain on land. It’s time we learn from the wisdom that we have ignored and allowed to die

You know you are old when you realise that today’s conversation is a repeat of the past. That’s how I feel when I hear the current chatter about the potential of rainwater harvesting to fix the problem of water scarcity in our cities and villages.

For years now, we have known the importance of harvesting rain from rooftops and hill catchments and holding it in underground reservoirs, aquifers, lakes and ponds. Then why have we not made this technology work? Why have we failed to use this knowledge? This is what we must ask.

Let me tell you how I learnt about rainwater harvesting. It was back in the 1990s when Anil Agarwal, then director of the Centre for Science and Environment, was at the wheels of his new Maruti 800 — red in colour.

We were on our way to see grazing land regeneration in Bikaner. Suddenly there was something different on the ground. Anil stopped. He wanted to know what he was seeing.

It was in the shape of a flying saucer or an upside-down cup on a paved ground. We got off the car, walked over to the settlement and asked, “What is this?” As is often the case in India, such stupid questions from city people get very patient replies.

Photo courtesy: AKHILESH YADAV

“It is our water system, our kundi.” It made no sense. They explained. “See, we pave the ground with lime and make it drain to the middle. Then when it rains, even a little, all the water is harvested and channelised into the well, which is covered so that there is no contamination.” This small explanation changed our world. Changed it literally.

Anil calculated that the structure had huge potential. One hectare of land with just 100 millimetre (mm) of rain — that’s what deserts get on an average — is capable of harvesting 1 million litres of water. Not small.

A family of five would not need more than 10-15 litres a day for drinking and cooking. This comes to 4,000-5,000 litres in a year. This means one hectare can harvest enough water to meet the needs of 200-300 families.

Later, a few more experiences shaped my understanding of not just the potential of rainwater harvesting but its connection with all of us. We were in Cherrapunji, the wettest place on Earth or at least that’s what I was taught in school. There in a small government guest house I saw a big sign — water is precious, please use it carefully. Amazing.

A place with 14,000 mm of rain, enough to fill a high ceiling stadium, faces shortage of water! Anil and I had just returned from Jaisalmer — a city that had built a flourishing civilisation and a stunning fort of yellow sandstone despite receiving only 50-100 mm of rain. The answer we found was in the way the city had planned its rainwater harvesting, from rooftops to tanks—all to build a water-secure future.

Anil was so fascinated by this learning that he spent the next few years of his life teaching Indians the value of the raindrop. We have put this learning together in our 1997 book, Dying Wisdom: rise, fall and potential of India’s traditional water harvesting systems, which explains the sheer intricacy, innovation and ingenuity of the knowledge.

Every region of the country had its own unique method of harvesting rain, storing it and then using it. Every system had been adapted, in fact, evolved, to meet the special ecological needs, yet each system was an engineering marvel, designed to make the best of the region’s rain endowment.

Why then did the wisdom die?

First, the State took control from the local community or the households as the provider or supplier of water. This meant that harvesting rain was no longer a priority. Second, local groundwater, which was recharged using rainwater, was replaced by surface water, brought often from long distances in canals.

This is why rainwater harvesting has remained an idea whose time has still not come. The State cannot harvest rain; people have to be involved. It has to be done in every house; every colony; every village; and for every catchment.

The incentive to do this only comes when we are dependent on groundwater for our needs. If cities and even villages get piped water, from distant sources, who will harvest rain and why?

The other problem is we have not understood the science and art of harvesting rain on land. So, the catchments — land where the rain falls — have been encroached upon or distributed in the name of land-reform.

The drains that channelised rain to underground storage have been built upon or destroyed. Then how will we harvest the raindrop? We can’t and we won’t. This is why the cycle of drought and flood will continue and get exacerbated. So let’s really learn from the wisdom that we have ignored and allowed to die.

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: –

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/water/catch-where-it-falls-tradition-for-water-revolution-65557

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Author:  Rashmi Verma

Publish On: Wednesday 10 July 2019

 

 

Catch the rain, fix water crisis: How Odisha leads by example

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Photo courtesy:  Down to earth

Odisha has deveoped 12,000 rainwater harvesting structures to facilitate water conservation and ground water recharge in 2,035 wards

Water is a source of life for all of us and helps our natural environment thrive. In this era of climate change, the unavailability of water is going to hit the developing world the most. Maintaining a balance between natural and human-made components is the only way to survive.

Odisha has been going through water scarcity, drought, floods, groundwater depletion and much more. In Odisha, the groundwater extraction has increased to 42 per cent, from 30 per cent in four years — between 2013 and 2017.

There is a massive increase in annual groundwater extraction. But there is a reduction in annual groundwater recharge and a considerable depletion in the annual extractable groundwater resources.

According to the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), Odisha’s groundwater volume was assessed at 16.69 billion cubic metres in 2009. This has dropped to 15.57 billion cubic metres in 2017, leading to a loss of 1.12 billion cubic metres (6.71 per cent) of groundwater.

The CGWB has clearly indicated that the groundwater of 24 out of 30 districts in Odisha is depleting. The groundwater aquifers in many regions of Odisha have already gone dry.

In 2019, out of 30 districts in Odisha, 29 had received deficient rainfall, while only Koraput district recorded one per cent surplus precipitation. In nine districts, rain deficit has been measured to be over 40 per cent.

Balasore was the worst-hit, with 54 per cent deficit rainfall. As many as 26 districts had a deficit above 19 per cent. This situation is worsening.

Some 1,093 million litres of drinking water are supplied to urban areas in the state against the daily demand of 1,088 million litres. This is leading to immense pressure on the state’s water resources.

The groundwater level in the greater Bhubaneswar area (Bhubaneswar city and outskirts / peripheries) has shrunk by about 10 metres and more since 2006 and water consumption has doubled in the last 10 years. This has been due to large-scale extraction of groundwater to cater to the daily demand of Bhubaneswar.

The development blueprint for the state is heavily dependent on groundwater both for water supply to its citizens and irrigation to the drought-prone areas of the Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput (KBK) region.

Rainwater harvesting

Photo courtesy: Anand Rko

To combat these issues, the state of Odisha with the Centre for Science and Environment as its knowledge partner, has successfully implemented an intensive campaign of rainwater harvesting.

It has come up with 12,000 Rainwater Harvesting Structures (RWHS) to facilitate water conservation and groundwater recharge in 2,035 wards of 114 urban local bodies. All this has happened in less than three months ie before the onset of the southwest monsoon.

Rainwater harvesting is collecting the run-off from a structure or other impervious surfaces, in order to store it for later use. This process is used to conserve rainwater that runs off from rooftops, parks, roads and open grounds by collecting, storing, conveying and purifying it.

The state had selected sites to have RWHS to address the statewide campaign Catch the Rain: Where it Falls and When it Falls. This has been completed under the Mukhyamantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan (MUKTA), an urban wage employment scheme for migrant workers.

Odisha’s annual rainfall varies from 1,200-1,800 millimetres but its spatial distribution is uneven and erratic. Eighty per cent of this rainfall occurs from June to September.

The state receives 76 per cent of rainfall between mid-June and mid-September and receives the remaining 24 per cent throughout the year. It has been estimated that out of 230.76 billion cubic metres of rainfall in a year, 80 per cent flows to the sea as surface runoff as adequate storage has not been developed.

During the monsoon, there are very wet days and also long dry spells. In some years, both floods and droughts occur. Not just that, the sub-surface storages are getting emptied, leading to thinner flows in rivers and streams, causing further capacity decrease in groundwater recharge.

Considering the uneven rainfall pattern, the only way to use the surplus rains received is by storing it. So, the state government has come up with such an initiative to build the RWHS in the 114 urban local bodies to minimise the surface runoff and maximise ground water recharge.

The state government wanted to develop a mechanism that would be cost-effective, need simple technology to operate and would require least maintenance.

Fortunately, the experts were successful in their approach. The RWHS type is Pit and Burrow, which costs Rs 35,000 per unit, involves no complex technologies and requires less maintenance. Also, it can be completed in a period of just 7-10 days.

The Government of Odisha aims to conserve both the rooftop runoff of government and private-aided institutions and storm water runoff from parks, playgrounds, open space, vacant lands and roads.

The spacing and number of recharge pits will be based on the porosity and permeability of the soil below 1.8 metres, annual average rainfall, intensity and duration of rainfall in that particular region.

For average conditions, one recharge pit of 1.2 metres diameter and 1.8 metres depth, with a leading channel of 15 metres is adequate for 250 square metres of catchment area.

The recharge mechanism is also simple. Partial recharge of rainwater from the catchment happens through the loading channel. Surplus rainwater received from the loading channel and storm water from the area surrounding the pit is recharged through filled media.

The sand layer acts as conventional surface water filter media. To support it, broken granite chips are provided underneath the sand layer. The sand layer filters out and retains the suspended solids, thereby providing a base for the grey / black blanket formed over the sand due to filtering of clay, silt and colloidal particles.

The filter media in the leading channel and recharge pits act like porous membranes that allow the partially filtered rainwater to reach the soil media interface.

The underneath soil layer acts as natural filter which facilitates micro filtration of rainwater before it reaches the groundwater table. Over a period, the top layer turns grey or black which reduces the recharge efficiency.

So, the top layered sand can be replaced periodically with new sand layers. The removed layer is rich in organic nutrient which can be utilised for filling the plantation sites in the park and open space area.

The Government of Odisha recommended mandatory construction of 5 RWHS per ward in a notified area council (NAC), 10 RWHS per ward in a municipality and 20 RWHS per ward in a municipal corporation of the 114 urban local bodies.

Daspalla, one of the NACs in Odisha, has completed 80 RWHS with 138 pits in 16 wards of the urban local body. According to Sasmita Pradhan, programme coordinator of MUKTA in Daspalla, 40 self-help groups (Mission Shakti Groups) and 2,898 people have been employed for this initiative as one pit requires three people to build.

To strengthen the transparency and accountability, Odisha’s housing and urban development department has made it mandatory for the sites to be geo-tagged and directed the district collectors to monitor the progress accordingly.

Rainwater harvesting is a go to solution for the emerging water crisis. Like Odisha, it is high time for us to take necessary steps to recharge the groundwater thereby enabling the planet to provide maximum resources for our coming generations.

Views expressed are the author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth

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: –  

Catch the rain, fix water crisis: How Odisha leads by example (downtoearth.org.in)

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Author:  –  Dimple Behal, Rajib Lochan Ram

Publish On:  Friday 20 August 2021

 

 

Roofs, rain and life: How to incentivize and implement rainwater harvesting

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Photo courtesy:  Muench/Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA) Secretariat

Co-author: Carmen Anthonj , Assistant Professor GeoHealth, Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) of the University of Twente

While rainwater harvesting can result in numerous benefits for consumers and the water sector overall (read our previous blog here), it’s not always clear how to effectively promote and increase the prevalence of this practice.

RWH systems can be built relatively easily with local skills and resources, using simple and easy-to-maintain technologies that are inexpensive once installed. RWH systems can be modular in nature by allowing expansion, reconfiguration or relocation, and can easily be retrofitted to an existing structure or built during new construction.  However, despite the many benefits, households often find it difficult to implement rainwater harvesting.  The initial installation cost of RWH systems on residential housing is relatively high and a common barrier to adoptioni. Moreover, while there are legal, social and environmental barriers as well, recent experiences have documented means of overcoming those barriers and reinforcing water management practicesii.

There are many ways to encourage rainwater harvesting and improve its implementation, within which governments can play a strong role. The use of government subsidies as incentives can encourage the installation of RWH systems and increase the number of users, particularly among poorer households. The regulatory frameworks are essential for the effective design of these incentives, like in Brazil. In Germany, the promotion (by grants and subsidies) of RWH at the local government level resulted in equipping almost one third of new buildings built with rainwater collection systems. The Government of Indiaiii, for example, provides financial assistance for the installation of RWH systems. The Surat Municipal Corporation has made RWH mandatory for new buildings with a plot size of >4,000 m² and provides up to a 50% (up to Rs. 2,000) subsidy to citizens to encourage rainwater recharging. In Gwalior and Jabalpur, a 6% rebate in property tax in the year of completion of RWH construction is provided to the building owner as an incentive (CSE, 2019).

Promoting rainwater use through housing regulations that stipulate that all newly built buildings and structures must include rainwater roof catchments is common in Taiwan, Texas and Brazil. Although laws and other governmental policies are the key driver for the implementation of RWH, overall, robust policies to systematically promote the installation of RHW are often lacking or scattered. In Brazil for example, RWH is barely covered in legislation at the federal level, but more common at the local level. In absence of a national policy regulating RWH, some state laws and mainly municipal regulations have taken the task of covering this legislative gap, as local authorities may be more aware of specific problems for the region and thus implement specific legislation for the municipality. Large numbers of different laws and regulations at different scales complicate the process of implementation. Besides, the scattered legislation does not cover all aspects of RWH: the main goal of regulations is usually encouraging the installation of RWH systems, but incentives for the implementation are rare, and no legislation exists that addresses treatment to improve the quality of rainwater (da Costa Pacheco et al., 2017). Besides, coordination between state and non-state stakeholders in RWH, and residents lacking awareness or knowledge of policies, are common challenges (Bui Thi Thuy et al., 2019; Matto & Jainer, 2019).

A Prospective Vision for RWH 

Photo courtesy:Akruti Enviro Solutions Pvt.Ltd.

The strategic management of rainwater can reduce disaster risk for communities faced with water scarcity, droughts or flood risks. Access to clean water is essential during the pandemic for handwashing, hygiene and preventing the spread of COVID-19. The scalability of RWH must ensure that water is provided and available when needed free of contamination, and as a resilience option in remote rural areas that are hit hard by climate change and rainfall variability. All the efforts to bring these solutions to increase water availability must carefully consider cost-effectiveness and co-benefits for small-scale irrigation and other productive uses of water. Integrated research that involves geospatial analysis and remote sensing can provide the evidence to demonstrate a stronger case to expand RWH globally, and improve their operational, financial and environmental sustainability.

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

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: –

https://blogs.worldbank.org/water/roofs-rain-and-life-how-incentivize-and-implement-rainwater-harvesting

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

Author:  CHRISTIAN BORJA-VEGA

Publish On: NOVEMBER 12, 2020

India is staring at water poverty

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Climate-change induced deficient rainfall, poor storage of rainwater and water-intensive agriculture are responsible

Photo courtesy: Dhakatimes

According to data released by the India Meteorological Department, the South-West monsoon during June- August 2023 has been below normal in 42 per cent of the districts (see Table). In August, rainfall in the country was 32 per cent below normal and in the southern States it was 62 per cent. In the last 122 years — that is, since 1901 — India received the lowest rainfall in August this year. With only about a month left for the end of the South-West monsoon, the reduced rainfall will not only affect agriculture severely but it could also lead to massive water shortages in different regions of the country. What should be done to prevent water shortage?

Although India has the largest water resources (irrigated area) in the world, water demand has been increasing rapidly due to rapid changes in agriculture and industrial activities in recent times. The net amount of water that can be used in our country in a year is estimated at 1,121 billion cubic meters (bcm). However, the data published by the Ministry of Water Resources shows that the total water demand will be 1,093 bcm in 2025 and 1,447 bcm in 2050. This means that there will be a major water shortage in India within 10 years.

However, this does not mean that there is no water shortage at present. As per the Falkenmark Water Index (which is mostly used for measuring water scarcity throughout the world), wherever the amount of water available per capita is below 1,700 cubic meters in a year, there is water scarcity. Going by this index, almost 76 per cent of people are already living with water scarcity in India.

In Tamil Nadu, which is one of the water-scarce States in terms of per capita availability, water demand was more than its supply even before 1990-91. For example, the total water requirement of Tamil Nadu was 31,458 million cubic meters (mcm) in 2004, but the supply was only 28,643 mcm. This means that Tamil Nadu has been experiencing water shortage for the last 30 years.

Deficit monsoon rainfall alone cannot be the cause of water scarcity. Various estimates show that after 1990-91, the water demand has been continuously increasing due to increased economic activities including the intensification of agriculture. However, no major plans have been made to develop new water sources and strengthen the storage capacity of existing water sources to match the ever-increasing demand for water.

Rivers, small water bodies (tanks and others) and domestic wells met the daily water requirements for many years. Due to poor maintenance of tanks and other small water bodies, water could not be stored adequately even in years of good rainfall. Data show that drought has occurred in India several times due to deficit rainfall. But recently, due to climate changes, rainy days are shrinking.

 

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned in its reports that the climate is changing rapidly which will result in reduced rainfall, both in number of days and quantum. Rainfall deficiency can lead to water scarcity, which will severely affect people’s lives, livestock, wildlife and others. Water scarcity can cause major environmental and economic problems. In the report, ‘Climate Change, Water and Economy’, the World Bank (2016) underlines that countries with water shortages may face a major setback in economic growth by 2050.

Photo courtesy: The Caravan

The remedies

Central Water Commission data show that the water storage level of 150 major reservoirs as of August 31 was 23 per cent less than last year’s storage level of 146.828 bcm. El Nino, which occurs due to global warming and often changes the rainfall pattern, is becoming the new normal in recent years. There is, therefore, the need to make tough decisions to avoid water scarcity. Everyone forgets the pain caused by water scarcity once the rainy season starts. This kind of mindset needs to change first.

As the total quantum of rainfall and the number of rainy days are shrinking due to climate change, more serious efforts should be made to store rainwater wherever possible. States like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana cannot solve the water scarcity problem without rejuvenating tanks, as all these States have a large number of tanks. The Minor Irrigation Census shows that there are a total of 6.42 lakh tanks, lakes and ponds in India.

However, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources has stated in its 16th report on ‘Repair, Renovation and Restoration of Water Bodies’ that most of the small water bodies are encroached upon by government and private bodies. The First Census of Water Bodies published by the Ministry of Water Resources in 2023 has found that 38,486 water bodies have been encroached upon in India. Tough measures are needed to remove the encroachments.

About 85 per cent of the utilisable water is currently used by the agricultural sector. This can be reduced by changing the cropping pattern. Appropriate minimum support policies need to be introduced to reduce the area under water-intensive crops such as paddy, sugarcane and banana. As per the MS Swaminathan committee report on ‘More Crop and Income Per Drop of Water’ (2006), drip and sprinkler irrigation can save around 50 per cent of water in crop cultivation and increase the yield of crops by 40-60 per cent. A total of about 70 million hectares are identified as potential areas for such micro-irrigation method. While making efforts to increase the area under micro-irrigation, farmers should be advised to use such water-saving methods for cultivating water-intensive crops in areas of severe water scarcity.

Water is no longer a public good; it is increasingly becoming an expensive commodity. With the changing pattern of rainfall, severe water shortages are likely to occur frequently in the future. A severe water shortage in 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa, forced the authorities there to ration the supply of water (25 litre/person/day), causing much hardship to the public. This may happen in India, too. Therefore, water should be stored wherever possible during the deficit rainfall period to prevent water poverty in the future.

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: –

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/india-is-staring-at-water-poverty/article67282233.ece

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

Author: Narayanamoorthy

Publish On: 07 , September , 2023