It may seem a bit odd to be writing on water conservation when Goa has received an excess of 16% rainfall till date, and three of Goa’s five major water reservoirs have reached full capacity, including Selaulim at 104%. Assam is reeling under devastating floods and intense rainfall in Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar has created havoc.
Against this ground reality, the recent NITI Ayog report warning of the worst water crisis in India’s history may sound a little incredible. It forecasts that 21 Indian cities will run out of groundwater by 2020. Forty per cent of India’s population will have no access to drinking water by 2030, highlighting the need for “urgent and improved” management of water resources. India ranks 145th out of 180 countries in water and sanitation. About 200,000 people die every year due to inadequate access to safe water. With nearly 70% of water contaminated, India ranks 120th of 122 countries in global water quality index. Eleven rivers, including 28 km of the Zuari, were found so contaminated with sewage that they were unfit even for bathing (Central Pollution Control Board).
The demand for water will exceed the supply by 2050, said the ‘Composite Water Management Index’ (CWMI) report of June, 2018. Per capita availability will fall to 1174 cu.mtrs/yr; not far from the “water stressed” standard of 1000 cu.mtrs/yr, India needs 3,000 billion cubic metres of water a year. It receives 4,000 billion cubic metres of annual rainfall (Central Water Commission); quite enough for our needs. Yet every year we hear of severe water shortages in various parts of the country including Goa. The problem is that we capture only 8% of rain; the lowest in the world. Traditional avenues of capturing water in ponds, water bodies, wetlands and even rivers have been lost to the greed of the real estate mafia by encroachments. Cities face widespread flooding because town planning rules are only followed in the breach.
The Economic Survey 2017-18 acknowledged India’s water crisis and explained the triggers, including rapid groundwater depletion, decline in average rainfall and increasing dry monsoon days. As a result, India faces a 6% loss in (GDP) by 2050. “Most states have Water Index scores below 50% and could significantly improve their water resource management practices.” Goa scores a low of 44%. “Desalination is not the solution; water harvesting is” said former director of National Water Academy professor Manohar Khushalani.
Critical groundwater resources, which account for 40% of India’s water supply, are being depleted at “unsustainable” rates. India is the biggest user of groundwater, extracting more than China and the US combined. When a well goes dry, villagers increase its depth often to 500-1000ft. Depending on the local geology, at such depths the water is warm and termed magmatic, unfit for drinking or irrigation due to its high mineral and salt content. The solution is not going deeper but facilitating and aiding recharging by harvesting. The Standing Committee on Water Resources in its report to Parliament in December 2015, found that while 92% of the districts in the country had safe levels of groundwater in 1995; it dropped to 71% in 2011.
The government has created a new Jal Shakti ministry to deal with the drinking water crisis. Factors that contribute to this crisis must be urgently reviewed. Households, which account for 9% ground water usage, have been promised piped water. This in itself presents a challenge. It is estimated that around 40% of piped water in India is lost to leakage and illegalities which must be plugged urgently. Another issue for review is the treatment and reuse of wastewater. About 80% of the water that reaches households, leaves as waste and pollutes our waterbodies and environment. There is a huge potential cost saving in recycling this treated wastewater at least for non-potable purposes. Release of raw sewage into water bodies must be made a criminal offence. Every fishing jetty and port must have bio toilets. We need to revert to our traditional practices of rainwater harvesting; catching water where it falls. In irrigation, which uses 89% of ground water, the drip method rather than the flood method would reduce costs between 25-50% and increase productivity up to 50%.
Remedial measures are eminently doable. The Voluntary Health Association of Goa (VHAG) has been engaged in a Village Infrastructure Development Project for Water and Sanitation in the Sanguem and Quepem villages since 2015. The villages covered were Shirlim, Gokuldem, Nunem, Vavurla, Pokermol and Voldev. This work was carried out as part of a CSR project of Colorcon Asia. These villages were selected because of a severe lack of water and sanitation facilities. Villagers were dependent on tanker water supply, and open defecation was the norm. In some of these villages, existing uphill tanks were in a neglected state. These were repaired and recommissioned. In Nunem, an uphill tank of 25000 ltrs was restored and an additional 35000 ltrs tank built downhill. In some cases, smaller uphill reservoirs were required because they merely tapped into existing natural water sources like springs. In Pokermol neglected wells were cleaned, storage tanks of 35000 ltrs and water stations installed, with 2 solar pumps. A new well was required only in Voldev. The outcome was total self-sufficiency in water.
Between 2015 till date, nearly 400 bio toilets were installed making these villages ODF. This was backed up with awareness sessions on judicious usage of water, and education on the harmful effects of open defecation. Village committees were trained in proper record keeping of their own meetings held and funds collected against expenses. The key to the success of these projects lay in awareness, education, and engaging local village people in whatever work was necessary. Village Committees were empowered to take care of the infrastructure created. Such activities have to be community driven to survive and be perpetuated.
The issue is desperately urgent; but as they say, where there is a will there is a way.
(The writer is a founder member of the VHAG)
