Why water conservation is required?
- The Comprehensive Water Management Index (CWMI) 2019
- 16 out of the 27 states still score less than 50 points on the Index (out of 100), and fall in the low-performing category. These states collectively account for ~48% of the population, ~40% of agricultural produce, and ~35% of economic output of India
- Given the indispensable role of water in any form of economic activity, water shortages can lead to reduced output in the states with low score, and as a consequence, threaten employment and livelihood opportunities in these population clusters
- Food security is also at risk, given that large agricultural producers are struggling to manage their water resources effectively
- Central Water Commission’s Reservoir Level & Storage Bulletin
- The total live storage capacity of 130 reservoirs monitored across India is 174.233 BCM which is about 67.58% of the live storage capacity of 257.812 BCM which is estimated to have been created in the country
- As per reservoir storage bulletin dated 17.06.2021, live storage available in these reservoirs is 47.631 BCM, which is 27% of total live storage capacity of these reservoirs
Why rainwater harvesting is desirable?
Water harvesting initiatives are driven by firm beliefs and assumptions, some of which are:
- there is a huge amount of monsoon flow, which remains un-captured and eventually ends up in the natural sinks, especially seas and oceans, supported by the national level aggregates of macro hydrology
- local water needs are too small and as such exogenous water is not needed
- local water harvesting systems are always small and, therefore, are cost effective
- since the economic, social and environmental values of water are very high in regions hit by water shortages, water harvesting interventions are viable, supported by the assumption that cost- effective alternatives that can bring in the same amount of water, do not exist
- incremental structures lead to incremental benefits
- being small with low water storage and diversion capacities, they do not pose negative consequences for downstream uses
State success stories: participatory and decentralized rural water management
- MUKHYA MANTRI JAL SWAVLAMBHAN ABHIYAN , RAJASTHAN
After first phase there was 56% reduction of water supply through tankers and an average rise in the groundwater table by 4.66 feet in 21 non-desert districts of the states
- NEERU-CHETTU PROGRAMME, ANDHRA PRADESH
Efforts under the Neeru-Chettu programme have enabled irrigation access to nearly 2,10,000 acres of land in the state
- JALYUKT SHIVAR ABHIYAN, MAHARASHTRA
11,000 villages have been declared drought-free and agricultural productivity has increased by 30-50%.
- JAKHNI VILLAGE, BUNDELKHAND, UTTAR PRADESH
Jakhni village of Banda district in the Bundelkhand region was one of the most water scarce regions of India. Once a drought prone village, now produces nearly 23,000 quintals of Basmati rice.
Other strategies of water conservation
- Better Irrigation Practices: For crop irrigation, optimal water efficiency means minimizing losses due to evaporation, runoff or subsurface drainage.
- Use of Saline Water for Irrigation- Saline water is widely available but rarely used. Salt resistant varieties of crops have also been developed in recent times.
- Mulching, e., the application of organic or inorganic material such as plant debris, compost, etc., slows down the surface run-off, improves the soil moisture, reduces evaporation losses and improves soil fertility.
- Fog and dew contain substantial amounts of water that can be used directly by adapted plant species. Artificial surfaces such as netting-surfaced traps or polyethylene sheets can be exposed to fog and dew.
- Contour farming is adopted in hilly areas and in lowland areas for paddy fields. Farmers recognize the efficiency of contour-based systems for conserving soil and water.
- Tippy Tap for water conservation: - Tippy Tap is a simple device which dispenses a limited amount of water slowly and facilitates a thorough hand wash. In case of piped water supply, every time the tap is opened for a hand wash, an average of 300 - 500 ml of water is utilized. Using Tippy Tap it is possible to have a good hand wash with only 60 to 80 ml of water
- Propagation of Dry Garden/Eco Lawns- As a step towards water conservation and propagation of native plant species, drought resistant plantation (plants requiring less water) should be carried out.
- Soak pit construction- Water run offs and water logging are combated by constructing soak pits near water points like hand pumps. This is a sanitation measure and also helps in recharge of ground water.
Conclusion
In order to tackle the multi-faceted drivers and impacts of water scarcity, states must adopt a water lens into policy making and planning across sectors. Importantly, states must supplement urgent top-down water legislations with a grassroots management approach that involves local community organizations, NGOs, farmer groups, and industry bodies in ideation and implementation of water related policies and projects.