With one billion people in the world having inadequate access to clean drinking water, the drought in India has only rung more alarm bells. States and organisations have begun taking initiatives to talk seriously about the water crisis. Rainwater harvesting and water recycling have emerged as safe bets. The Central Ground Water Board has assessed that 5 per cent of surplus monsoon runoff water could be stored in sub-surface aquifers through various artificial recharge methods.The Capital, which has a deficit of 150 million gallons of water a day, is also seeing active participation from various bodies. The latest addition to the list of organisations joining the water harvesting stream is Hyatt Regency. The project which was inaugurated by chief minister Sheila Dixit last week will replenish the underground water level in the hotel by 70 lakh litres every year. The project involved drilling three bores at different areas of the hotel. The rooftop rain water and the swimming pool plant water, which was earlier released into the storm water drain, has now been diverted to these bores, through filtration media. The project, said Dixit, is a noble beginning for private bodies.
Over the last hundred years or so there have been two paradigm shifts in water management. Firstly, the individuals and communities have steadily given over their role completely to the state despite the fact that 150 years ago no government anywhere in the world provided water. Secondly, the simple technology of using rainwater has declined, and the exploitation of rivers and groundwater through dams and tube-wells have taken its place, resulting in constant depletion of water table.
According to World Resources Institute, agriculture accounts for 69 per cent of fresh water withdrawals on a global plane, 23 per cent is used by industry while 8 per cent is used for domestic purposes. Water harvesting, according to experts can not only increase the groundwater level, but also avoid the situation of a water crisis. Water harvesting, add experts, is useful for areas, which receive frequent storms. Semi-arid areas with an annual rainfall of 450 mm-750 mm with a rolling terrain can benefit from the water harvesting technique by making ponds. Ideally areas with a minimum rainfall of 750mm-1000 mm are best suited to water harvesting.
Instances of successful rainwater harvesting exist in Meghalaya and Mizoram, where conventional roofs were replaced by corrugated steel sheets so that the quality of water was acceptable for bathing and washing. Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu harvest rainwater in ponds and tanks.
With a country like India, which receives less than 100 hours of rainfall in a year, the key to having sufficient water lies in water harvesting and water recycling.
Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.