Tag: Rooftop

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

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

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)

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

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

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Author: Narayanamoorthy

Publish On: 07 , September , 2023

 

 

 

 

Country-Abroad .: The world is moving towards severe water scarcity

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According to a recent study by the World Resources Institute (WRI), twenty-five countries with a quarter of the world’s population are facing acute water shortages. WRI statistics indicate that these countries routinely use up to 80 percent of their water reserves each year. Demand for water continues to rise with growing population and development around the world, and demand has doubled since 1960. Demand for water has stagnated in developed countries such as Europe and America, but is increasing in Africa. By 2050, worldwide water demand is projected to increase between 20 and 25 percent. The five countries facing the most water scarcity are Bahrain, Cyprus, Kuwait, Lebanon and Oman.

• Twenty-five countries with a quarter of the world’s population are facing acute water scarcity

• Countries contributing 31 percent or $70 trillion to global GDP will face severe water scarcity by 2050• Water scarcity can be prevented through planning. Singapore and Las Vegas have grown amid water scarcity

• Acute water scarcity threatens lives, employment, food and energy security. Demand for water is increasing faster than available resources

• Lack of water management could cost India, China and Central Asia 7 to 12 percent of GDP by 2050

• An additional one billion people are likely to live with extreme water stress by 2050

• India has lost 8.2 terawatt-hours of energy due to lack of planning

 

Photo credit:  Venngage Inc

According to research, globally, nearly four billion people, or half the world’s population, face acute water scarcity at least one month a year. There is no doubt that by 2050 this figure will touch around 60 percent. Such acute water shortages threaten people’s lives, employment, food and energy security. All over the world, the demand for water is increasing faster than the available resources. The increase in water demand is largely the result of rampant population growth, irrigated agriculture, animal husbandry, energy production and industrial development. On the other hand, there is not enough investment in water infrastructure. Lack of efficient water use policies and global warming are having a major impact on the available water supply.

According to the report, countries contributing 31 percent of global GDP, or $70 trillion, will face severe water shortages by 2050. Worryingly, four countries – India, Mexico, Egypt and Turkey – will account for more than half of this GDP in 2050.

Among the 25 countries facing the most water scarcity today are Bahrain, Cyprus, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Botswana, Iran, Jordan, Chile, San Marino, including India. , including Belgium, Greece, Tunisia, Namibia, South Africa, Iraq and Syria. An additional one billion people are likely to live with extreme water stress by 2050. By 2050 the entire population in the Middle-East and North Africa will be living with acute water scarcity. This not only affects people and industries but also poses a major problem for political stability. Take the case of Iran, where poor water management and inefficient use of water for agriculture have worsened the situation to the extent that people took to the streets to protest.

While Africa is the fastest growing economic region in the world today, according to the Global Commission on Adaptation, inefficient water use and poor water management can reduce the region’s GDP by up to 6 percent. India, China and Central Asia could lose 7 to 12 percent of GDP by 2050 due to lack of water management.

As for India, between 2017 and 2021 we lost 8.2 terawatt-hours of energy due to water shortages needed to cool thermal power plants. This electricity could have powered 15 lakh Indian households for five years.

Increasing water scarcity is a threat to the economic development of any country. It also affects food production. Global food security is already under threat. Research shows that 60 percent of the world’s irrigated agriculture is currently struggling with water scarcity, including sugarcane, wheat, rice and corn. By 2050, the world will need 56 percent more food than in 2010 to feed an estimated 10 billion people, which we have to do amid growing water scarcity and climate-driven disasters such as droughts and floods.

Water is essential for agriculture and animal husbandry, generating electricity, maintaining public health, ensuring social security, and mitigating global climate change. Proper water management becomes very important when water scarcity is becoming more and more acute due to factors like rampant population growth, economic development and climate change.

As we discuss the world’s water supply and demand situation, we must also understand that water scarcity does not necessarily lead to a water crisis. Water scarcity can be prevented if some necessary measures are taken in a planned manner. Singapore and Las Vegas have been able to thrive even in the most water-scarce conditions. Local authorities there have implemented good water conservation practices through desalination and other technologies such as wastewater recycling and reuse.

Different methods can be adopted according to the needs of each region. Along with conservation of natural resources, many steps can be taken in agriculture such as efficient use of water through methods like drip irrigation, growing crops using less water, increasing use of solar and wind energy. Apart from the government, industries, society and individuals also need to contribute to this. However, doing all this requires strong political will.

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

 

This article is published by: –

https://www.divyabhaskar.co.in/magazine/kalash/news/the-world-is-heading-towards-acute-water-scarcity-131744567.html

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Author:  Dr. Jay Narayan Vyas

Publish On: Aug 27,2023

Panel recommends new central body to mitigate water woes due to lack of agency coordination

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The Parliamentary Standing Committee report also found excessive dependence on groundwater

Photo: iStock

State- and central-level bodies that currently bear responsibility for issues related to water, lack coordination between them, a Parliamentary Standing Committee report has noted.

The report, tabled in the Lok Sabha two weeks ago, also recommended the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti (water resources) constitute a central body with representation from the bodies.

The bodies, alluded to by the committee, include:

  • The Union Ministry of Rural Development, and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare
  • State departments, state and central pollution control boards
  • Dedicated authorities such as the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA)

Groundwater is a valuable but diminishing resource, concluded the report accessed by DTE.

State- and central-level bodies that currently bear responsibility for issues related to water, lack coordination between them, a Parliamentary Standing Committee report has noted.

The report, tabled in the Lok Sabha two weeks ago, also recommended the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti (water resources) constitute a central body with representation from the bodies.

The bodies, alluded to by the committee, include:

  • The Union Ministry of Rural Development, and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare
  • State departments, state and central pollution control boards
  • Dedicated authorities such as the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA)

Groundwater is a valuable but diminishing resource, concluded the report accessed by DTE on March 31, 2023.

The Committee observed that dependence on groundwater for irrigation was excessive. This was so because water-intensive crops like paddy and sugarcane command higher minimum support prices (MSP), it noted.

Prior to this, the Committee couldn’t finalize a report and the subject was again taken up in its successive tenures — 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23 — for detailed examination.

The development came in concurrence to the release of a United Nations report raising grave concern on “groundwater depletion as a global issue”. The latter had brought to light the reporting of significant groundwater depletion in China, India, Pakistan, the United States, and Australia

“Laws on groundwater management were passed in 19 states based on a model Bill circulated in 1970 and last revised in 2005. The Committee observed difficulties in implementing these laws due to the lack of guidelines,” it was argued in the Lok Sabha.

The Committee, meanwhile, recommended the Department of water resources, river development, and ganga rejuvenation takes urgent action in this regard.

The three departments should engage with the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare to encourage fewer water-intensive cultivation crops and cultivation patterns, it asserted.

The Committee went on to observe widespread groundwater contamination “resulting from industrial activity”. They recommended that more funds under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), which aims to provide households with safe drinking water, can be allocated to areas with groundwater contamination.

“A lack of sharing of data and coordination between bodies responsible for addressing groundwater pollution such as state government departments, pollution control boards, and agencies such as the CGWA,” it underlined and recommended the proposed central groundwater authority should coordinate between them.

“The authority, once formed, should formulate a policy on groundwater pollution,” the report said.  Personnel and resource shortages hinder state and central pollution control boards, it was further alleged. In this wake, the Committee insisted on addressing the shortage.

It further recommended amendment of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, “to enable pollution control boards to impose monetary penalties, as a less severe penalty than the outright closure of industrial units

More ‘reforms’?

Photo credit: istock

The panel also recommended the modification of schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana to support the rejuvenation of existing water bodies.

There are schemes for recharging groundwater through rainwater harvesting in urban areas, such as Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). The Committee recommended that the Jal Shakti ministry coordinate these efforts.

Urban local bodies should be given more funds to maintain water bodies. The Atal Bhujal Yojana provides central financial assistance to state governments and local bodies for projects related to groundwater management.

The Committee recommended the scheme’s extension to all states facing groundwater scarcity as it is currently being piloted only in seven states.

Parallel to the release dates of the two mentioned reports, DTE had analyzed the groundwater crisis in Punjab state. This was also in the wake of the 2023 Global Water Conference organized in New York City in March, with an aim to raise awareness, define a roadmap and advance the water agenda.

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/news/water/panel-recommends-new-central-body-to-mitigate-water-woes-due-to-lack-of-agency-coordination-88616

 

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Author: Zumbish

Publish On: 04 April 2023

 

 

Why Rainwater Harvesting is Crucial to Solving India’s Water Woes

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India is reeling under the most severe water crisis in its history for several reasons including two consecutive monsoons that failed.

According to a Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) report released by NITI Aayog nearly 600 million people, which is almost 50% of the country’s population, are facing water shortage issues right now.

One of the many options that we have to ease the water shortage issue is implementing rainwater harvesting. Given the critical situation that we are in, it’s now more important than ever to install rainwater harvesting systems and make it a mandatory fixture in houses and apartments.

In this post, we explore the reasons behind the water crisis and how rainwater harvesting can help.

Why is India facing a severe water shortage?

In addition to inadequate monsoons, there are several reasons why India’s water supply is diminishing rapidly.

Depletion of groundwater

According to the UNESCO World Water Development Report, India is the biggest extractor of groundwater in the world, drawing 260 cubic km per year, which is more than China and the US combined. That comes up to 25% of the groundwater extracted globally. With 21 Indian cities expected to run out of groundwater, India is faced with an alarmingly dry future with the need to not just replenish its water sources but also change the way it sources water.

Infrastructure and wastage

India’s shoddy infrastructure has led to improper distribution and large amounts of water being wasted. Statistics from the Central Water Commission reveal that India receives as much as 4,000 billion cubic metres of rainfall, but only a mere 8% of that is captured efficiently. Leaky pipes, limited or ageing storage infrastructure like dams, and lack of recycling systems like rainwater harvesting have worsened India’s water crisis.

Uneven distribution

India’s pipelines are notorious for not just being old but also for not being present in hilly terrains or rural areas. Even if there are connections, the supply is highly restricted and is time-bound, making it challenging to access. This, in turn, has given rise to the water mafia, which ensures that water reaches only those who can afford it.

Contamination and pollution

India is fast losing its water bodies to rapid real estate development, environmental degradation, and industrial pollution. The lack of proper wastewater treatment systems has also compounded the issue.

How rainwater harvesting can help

Recycling and reusing water is important, but it needs to be amply supported by rainwater harvesting. No doubt, contaminated lakes and ponds are a big source of precious water, but it is much easier to simply store rainfall. It is more affordable, less time-consuming, and easier to implement than the complicated systems that are required for wastewater treatment.

Rainwater harvesting also helps in reducing India’s dependence on groundwater and private sources like tankers.

There are myriad ways in which rainwater can be captured and stored like installing rain barrels with pipes, hanging rain funnelling chains, rooftop containers that channel rainwater into sumps and borewells, and if you have space, then setting up a mini-reservoir in your garden.

Following any of these simple DIY processes can drastically reduce or even eliminate your water bills, and cushion the impact as well as slow down climate change. Most importantly, it can help an entire country quench its thirst with unlimited water.

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://roofandfloor.thehindu.com/raf/real-estate-blog/rainwater-harvesting-crucial-to-solving-indias-water-woes/.\

Author:  Prof. SWATI NAIR

Publish On: 18TH JULY 2019

Making India water-secure: Solutions for the future

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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 the 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.  

Photo Courtesy: Statustown

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.  

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 vavs and baolis are rejuvenated and maintained. 

  2. Rainwater harvesting: India receives bountiful rains – last Monsoon, India received 925 mm of 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.

Photo Courtesy: iStock

  1. 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. 

  2. 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.

  3. 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), staring 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 a 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, and corporate stakeholders and creating awareness will play a critical role in achieving the goal ahead.

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://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/voices/making-india-water-secure-solutions-for-the-future/

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Author: Dr. Nidhi Pundhir

Publish On: March 28, 2023