Rainwater goes down drain
Harvesting Could Have Prevented Waterlogging: Experts
Neha Lalchandani | TNN
New Delhi: Looking at those photographs of the flooded Dwarka underpass, if you were marvelling at the amount of water that had turned it into a swimming pool, heres some food for thought. According to the Forum for Organised Resource Conservation and Enhancement (FORCE), a Delhi-based NGO, the quantity was 10-12 .5 crore litres. Going by the international norm of 135lt/capita/day as the average requirement of water for each person, this quantity would have been enough for 7.5 lakh people for a day!
Experts argue that had the government got its rainwater harvesting mechanism in place, the city would not have been waterlogged after receiving 126 mm rain that it did on Monday. It was also the perfect opportunity to replenish a part of Delhis fast-depleting water table. On Monday, there was massive water accumulation not just in Dwarka but also at the Moolchand underpass, on many roads and at the foot of several flyovers, leading to huge traffic snarls.
Despite court diktats ordering rainwater harvesting on flyovers and roads, the government has done precious little. According to Central Ground Water Board figures, Delhi receives an average of 611.5mm rain over 27 days in a year. This translates to roughly 19,277 crore litres.
If the Dwarka underpass had a good rainwater harvesting system, a lot of the water that went waste could have actually been put to good use. An underpass is an artificial depression dug out from the ground. Drainage in an underpass is always a problem because its almost always impossible to align the slope of the underpass drainage with that of the main drain outside the underpass. It is important to ensure that the drainage for surrounding catchments is planned in such a way that all water gets diverted away from the underpass before it enters the depressed zone. The other option is rainwater harvesting , said Jyoti Sharma, president , FORCE.
According to Vinod Jain, director, NGO Tapas, while efforts are on to install rainwater harvesting units in buildings , very little has been done on roads. According to an affidavit filed by various agencies , only a couple of roads and very few flyovers, including the Safdarjung and Dhaula Kuan flyovers, have rainwater harvesting facilities in place. At most flyovers, claimed Jain, the designing was poor and not at all effective.
Sharma, who has been involved with several rainwater harvesting projects in the city, claimed that unless the systems are maintained well, just constructing them would serve no purpose. Many structures in the city are either poorly planned or not maintained at all, making them highly ineffective. If regular cleaning is not done, the system gets choked and becomes defunct. The cleaning is especially necessary where the rainwater harvesting system takes water from roads or open surfaces where the silt load is high, said Sharma.
According to a Delhi Jal Board official, rainwater harvesting is still very unplanned. While several buildings, both private and government, have started water harvesting, unless the entire city takes to it in a systematic manner, there will be little benefits to reap from it, he said. Sharma suggested that rainwater harvesting systems should be integrated with the stormwater drainage systems so that regular maintenance of both can be carried out.
Experts also believe that in providing structures on roads and flyovers, drainage and water harvesting need to be coordinated . The civic agency constructing the underpass would have had jurisdiction only over that stretch of road and their designing and implementation would have been without coordination with other agencies incharge of nearby roads. Since water harvesting is seen in isolation and is done in a totally piecemeal manner, it is not surprising that plans very often do not work, said Sharma.
WHAT A WASTE
On July 27, the city received a total of 126 mm rainfall
The Dwarka underpass, on a 1.5-km stretch, remained under water for 4 days Height of water column at deepest point was 20 feet
Around 10-12 .5 crore litres of water accumulated at the spot
Going by annual rainfall figures, this area could hold about 40-50 crore litres of water annually
10 crore litres is daily requirement of 7.5 lakh people or annual requirement of 2,000 people
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
City water table sinks to new depths
City water table sinks to new depths
Survey By CGWB Shows Water Level Has Dipped Drastically In 129 Wells Since Last Year
Neha Lalchandani | TNN
New Delhi: As environmentalists question governments seriousness in implementing rainwater harvesting in the city, theres a more worrisome news emerging groundwater levels are fast depleting. According to the latest survey by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), of the 178 wells inspected in Delhi, levels of 129 have either gone down since last year, including two in the Presidents estate, or the wells have dried up.
The drop in water levels has also been observed in north and central Delhi, the only two districts that did not face a groundwater shortage. While boring tubewells has practically been banned with the Delhi Jal Board now incharge for issuing clearances, the move doesnt seem to have made much difference as largescale exploitation of water still seems to be the order of the day.
Rainwater harvesting, made compulsory in Delhi in 2001 by a court order, has also not been implemented as would have been desired. All government buildings with a built-up area of 100 sq mt, all roads and flyovers, co-operative group housing societies and farmhouses are required to have rainwater harvesting. The same notification also made recycling water for horticultural use compulsory for those buildings that had a daily discharge of 10,000 litres or more of water. But while old buildings continue to ignore the order, recycling is a practice adopted by barely a handful of buildings.
A c c o rd ing to an affidavit submitted by various civic agencies to the court in November 2007, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had identified 365 sites for rainwater harvesting of which 294 projects had been completed. New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) submitted a list of 18 places where work had either been completed or in progress. Delhi Development Authority gave in a list of 1,287 plans of which 821 had been completed. Proposals have also been made for rainwater harvesting in 227 parks and 156 municipal buildings.
Over 40 RWAs and several individuals have taken up rainwater harvesting at local level with the help of NGOs. According to DPCC figures, 368 rainwater harvesting pits had been set up in the city.
Delhi receives 600.8 mm rain for 27 days in a year. As estimated by CGWB in 2006, out of the 194 million cubic metres rainwater that is the run-off , only 4 mcm will seep into the aquifer. The wastage is 190 mcm approximately. Rainwater harvesting should be adopted at a largescale if any difference has to be made to the groundwater level. Largescale illegal extraction is still taking place in south and southwest districts and falling levels of groundwater are a big cause for concern, said a CGWB official.
Vinod Jain, director of NGO Tapas, said: DJB and DDA have both said that rainwater harvesting on roads is also possible but barely a couple of roads have been covered. Not only would this save a lot of run-off but also solve the problem of waterlogging to a large extent.
DJB officials, meanwhile, say that while nothing happened for several years, a lot of effort is being put into rainwater harvesting now.
The governments rainwater harvesting programme is getting a huge response. We need to have a positive approach and wait for the results to manifest themselves, said an official.
Survey By CGWB Shows Water Level Has Dipped Drastically In 129 Wells Since Last Year
Neha Lalchandani | TNN
New Delhi: As environmentalists question governments seriousness in implementing rainwater harvesting in the city, theres a more worrisome news emerging groundwater levels are fast depleting. According to the latest survey by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), of the 178 wells inspected in Delhi, levels of 129 have either gone down since last year, including two in the Presidents estate, or the wells have dried up.
The drop in water levels has also been observed in north and central Delhi, the only two districts that did not face a groundwater shortage. While boring tubewells has practically been banned with the Delhi Jal Board now incharge for issuing clearances, the move doesnt seem to have made much difference as largescale exploitation of water still seems to be the order of the day.
Rainwater harvesting, made compulsory in Delhi in 2001 by a court order, has also not been implemented as would have been desired. All government buildings with a built-up area of 100 sq mt, all roads and flyovers, co-operative group housing societies and farmhouses are required to have rainwater harvesting. The same notification also made recycling water for horticultural use compulsory for those buildings that had a daily discharge of 10,000 litres or more of water. But while old buildings continue to ignore the order, recycling is a practice adopted by barely a handful of buildings.
A c c o rd ing to an affidavit submitted by various civic agencies to the court in November 2007, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had identified 365 sites for rainwater harvesting of which 294 projects had been completed. New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) submitted a list of 18 places where work had either been completed or in progress. Delhi Development Authority gave in a list of 1,287 plans of which 821 had been completed. Proposals have also been made for rainwater harvesting in 227 parks and 156 municipal buildings.
Over 40 RWAs and several individuals have taken up rainwater harvesting at local level with the help of NGOs. According to DPCC figures, 368 rainwater harvesting pits had been set up in the city.
Delhi receives 600.8 mm rain for 27 days in a year. As estimated by CGWB in 2006, out of the 194 million cubic metres rainwater that is the run-off , only 4 mcm will seep into the aquifer. The wastage is 190 mcm approximately. Rainwater harvesting should be adopted at a largescale if any difference has to be made to the groundwater level. Largescale illegal extraction is still taking place in south and southwest districts and falling levels of groundwater are a big cause for concern, said a CGWB official.
Vinod Jain, director of NGO Tapas, said: DJB and DDA have both said that rainwater harvesting on roads is also possible but barely a couple of roads have been covered. Not only would this save a lot of run-off but also solve the problem of waterlogging to a large extent.
DJB officials, meanwhile, say that while nothing happened for several years, a lot of effort is being put into rainwater harvesting now.
The governments rainwater harvesting programme is getting a huge response. We need to have a positive approach and wait for the results to manifest themselves, said an official.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Self-watering plant discovered in Israel
Self-watering plant discovered in Israel
The worlds first self-watering plant has been discovered in Israels Negev desert one of the driest regions on earth.
The Desert Rhubarb can hold 16 times more water than its rivals and has developed a unique ability to effectively water itself in its barren habitat. Researchers were confounded by the metre-wide plants giant leaves, compared to its desert counterparts , whose tiny leaves stop dangerous moisture loss. But they found the plants large leaves are the key to its success, because they are covered in microscopic streams through which water can be channelled.
Scientists claim ridges in the leaves act like mountain valleys, funnelling the water slowly and directly into the plant while stopping it evaporating . A team from the University of Haifa-Oranim , in Israel, said the leaves act like a mini irrigation system, the Daily Telegraph reported.
We know of no other plant in the deserts of the world that functions in this manner, lead researcher Gidi Neeman said. We have managed to make out the self-irrigating mechanism of the desert rhubarb, which enables it to harvest 16 times the amount of water than otherwise expected for a plant in this region based on the quantities of rain in the desert , he added.
Results of analysis of the plants growth in an area with an average annual rainfall of 75mm showed that the desert rhubarb is able to harvest quantities of water that are closer to that of Mediterranean plants, reaching up to 426mm per year. AGENCIES
GARDENER REDUNDANT: The desert rhubarb has unique ability to water itself
The worlds first self-watering plant has been discovered in Israels Negev desert one of the driest regions on earth.
The Desert Rhubarb can hold 16 times more water than its rivals and has developed a unique ability to effectively water itself in its barren habitat. Researchers were confounded by the metre-wide plants giant leaves, compared to its desert counterparts , whose tiny leaves stop dangerous moisture loss. But they found the plants large leaves are the key to its success, because they are covered in microscopic streams through which water can be channelled.
Scientists claim ridges in the leaves act like mountain valleys, funnelling the water slowly and directly into the plant while stopping it evaporating . A team from the University of Haifa-Oranim , in Israel, said the leaves act like a mini irrigation system, the Daily Telegraph reported.
We know of no other plant in the deserts of the world that functions in this manner, lead researcher Gidi Neeman said. We have managed to make out the self-irrigating mechanism of the desert rhubarb, which enables it to harvest 16 times the amount of water than otherwise expected for a plant in this region based on the quantities of rain in the desert , he added.
Results of analysis of the plants growth in an area with an average annual rainfall of 75mm showed that the desert rhubarb is able to harvest quantities of water that are closer to that of Mediterranean plants, reaching up to 426mm per year. AGENCIES
GARDENER REDUNDANT: The desert rhubarb has unique ability to water itself
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
In wild west, now legal to collect rain
In wild west, now legal to collect rain
Kirk Johnson
Durango (Colorado): For the first time since territorial days, rain will be free for the catching here, as more and more thirsty states part ways with one of the most entrenched codes of the West.
Precipitation, every last drop or flake, was assigned ownership from the moment it fell in many Western states, making scofflaws of people who scooped rainfall from their own gutters. In some instances, the rights to that water were assigned a century or more ago.
Now two new laws in Colorado will allow many people to collect rainwater legally. The laws are the latest crack in the rainwater edifice, as other states, driven by population growth, drought, or declining groundwater in their aquifers, have already opened the skies or begun actively encouraging people to collect. I was so willing to go to jail for catching water on my roof and watering my garden, said Tom Bartels, a video producer in Colorado, who has been illegally watering his vegetables and fruit trees from tanks attached to his gutters. But now Im not a criminal.
Who owns the sky, anyway In most of the country, that is a question for philosophy class or bad poetry. In the West, lawyers parse it with straight faces and serious intent. The result, especially stark here in the Four Corners area of Arizona, Colorado , New Mexico and Utah, is a crazy quilt of rules and regulations and an entire subculture of people like Bartels who have been using the rain nature provided but laws forbade.
The two Colorado laws allow perhaps a quarter-million residents with private wells to begin rainwater harvesting, as well as the setting up of a pilot program for larger scale rain-catching .
In Utah, collecting rainwater from the roof is still illegal unless the roof owner also owns water rights on the ground; the same rigid rules,also apply in Washington State. Meanwhile in New Mexico, rainwater catchment is mandatory for new dwellings in some places like Santa Fe. State officials acknowledged that they rarely enforced the old law. With the new laws, the state created a system of fines for rain catchers without a permit ; previously the only option was to shut a collector down.
A study in 2007 proved crucial to convincing Colorado lawmakers that rain catching would not rob water owners of their rights. It found that in an average year, 97% of the precipitation that fell in Douglas county never got anywhere near a stream. The water evaporated or was used by plants.
Kirk Johnson
Durango (Colorado): For the first time since territorial days, rain will be free for the catching here, as more and more thirsty states part ways with one of the most entrenched codes of the West.
Precipitation, every last drop or flake, was assigned ownership from the moment it fell in many Western states, making scofflaws of people who scooped rainfall from their own gutters. In some instances, the rights to that water were assigned a century or more ago.
Now two new laws in Colorado will allow many people to collect rainwater legally. The laws are the latest crack in the rainwater edifice, as other states, driven by population growth, drought, or declining groundwater in their aquifers, have already opened the skies or begun actively encouraging people to collect. I was so willing to go to jail for catching water on my roof and watering my garden, said Tom Bartels, a video producer in Colorado, who has been illegally watering his vegetables and fruit trees from tanks attached to his gutters. But now Im not a criminal.
Who owns the sky, anyway In most of the country, that is a question for philosophy class or bad poetry. In the West, lawyers parse it with straight faces and serious intent. The result, especially stark here in the Four Corners area of Arizona, Colorado , New Mexico and Utah, is a crazy quilt of rules and regulations and an entire subculture of people like Bartels who have been using the rain nature provided but laws forbade.
The two Colorado laws allow perhaps a quarter-million residents with private wells to begin rainwater harvesting, as well as the setting up of a pilot program for larger scale rain-catching .
In Utah, collecting rainwater from the roof is still illegal unless the roof owner also owns water rights on the ground; the same rigid rules,also apply in Washington State. Meanwhile in New Mexico, rainwater catchment is mandatory for new dwellings in some places like Santa Fe. State officials acknowledged that they rarely enforced the old law. With the new laws, the state created a system of fines for rain catchers without a permit ; previously the only option was to shut a collector down.
A study in 2007 proved crucial to convincing Colorado lawmakers that rain catching would not rob water owners of their rights. It found that in an average year, 97% of the precipitation that fell in Douglas county never got anywhere near a stream. The water evaporated or was used by plants.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Haryana may add to Delhis woes
Haryana may add to Delhis woes
New Delhi/Chandigarh: The chief minister may have pulled up the discom for its inefficiency in an emergency meeting on Sunday but BSES chairman Lalit Jalan, told this newspaper that expensive power could come only if consumers were prepared to suffer a tariff hike. Incidentally, NDPL which supplies power to north Delhi and NDMC areas has been buying power at Rs 11.50 per unit. The chief minister is also believed to have expressed displeasure at the state of BSESs equipment.
In its defence, BSES told the chief minister that the power crisis was a fallout of the abnormally long heat wave conditions . The utility argued against buying costly power, saying the crisis has been precipitated by the non-availability of power from Uttarakhand and a spurt in demand . They had budgeted for an 8.5% increase in demand, which has, in fact, shot up by 15%.
Dikshit told BSES that power cuts could not stretch beyond an hour. She also asked the discom to draw up a loadshedding schedule and flash it on local channels and ensure coordination with the power department. The power department, in turn, was asked to monitor SCADA BSESs special software that checks power theft to keep a tab on loadshedding.
The worries on the water front, however, remain. Haryanas reluctance to meet its obligation to Delhi is believed to stem from the fact that the Yamuna has just 3,000 cusecs of water against last years 19,802 cusecs. Haryanas water requirement stands at 5,000 cusecs while Delhi gets about 950 cusecs.
R N Prasher, the principal secretary and financial commissioner , irrigation, has conveyed this to the Delhi Government in a letter earlier this week, also citing that the Bhakhra Beas Management Board (BBMB) had cut Haryanas share of water from the Bhakra. This is beyond our control now. According to river water agreements, we have to share water among Delhi, Rajasthan , UP and Haryana. It is not possible for us to provide the desired quota. We have clarified our position, Prasher said.
DJB says it has not received any such communication. Delhi Jal Board CEO Ramesh Negi confirmed : We have received no intimation , officially or otherwise, of any reduction in our supply from Haryana. M K Lamba, superintending engineer, Haryana Irrigation Department, said: At present we have not reduced Delhis supply and there are no immediate plans for the same either . However, if the situation becomes worse, we will be forced to take steps.
New Delhi/Chandigarh: The chief minister may have pulled up the discom for its inefficiency in an emergency meeting on Sunday but BSES chairman Lalit Jalan, told this newspaper that expensive power could come only if consumers were prepared to suffer a tariff hike. Incidentally, NDPL which supplies power to north Delhi and NDMC areas has been buying power at Rs 11.50 per unit. The chief minister is also believed to have expressed displeasure at the state of BSESs equipment.
In its defence, BSES told the chief minister that the power crisis was a fallout of the abnormally long heat wave conditions . The utility argued against buying costly power, saying the crisis has been precipitated by the non-availability of power from Uttarakhand and a spurt in demand . They had budgeted for an 8.5% increase in demand, which has, in fact, shot up by 15%.
Dikshit told BSES that power cuts could not stretch beyond an hour. She also asked the discom to draw up a loadshedding schedule and flash it on local channels and ensure coordination with the power department. The power department, in turn, was asked to monitor SCADA BSESs special software that checks power theft to keep a tab on loadshedding.
The worries on the water front, however, remain. Haryanas reluctance to meet its obligation to Delhi is believed to stem from the fact that the Yamuna has just 3,000 cusecs of water against last years 19,802 cusecs. Haryanas water requirement stands at 5,000 cusecs while Delhi gets about 950 cusecs.
R N Prasher, the principal secretary and financial commissioner , irrigation, has conveyed this to the Delhi Government in a letter earlier this week, also citing that the Bhakhra Beas Management Board (BBMB) had cut Haryanas share of water from the Bhakra. This is beyond our control now. According to river water agreements, we have to share water among Delhi, Rajasthan , UP and Haryana. It is not possible for us to provide the desired quota. We have clarified our position, Prasher said.
DJB says it has not received any such communication. Delhi Jal Board CEO Ramesh Negi confirmed : We have received no intimation , officially or otherwise, of any reduction in our supply from Haryana. M K Lamba, superintending engineer, Haryana Irrigation Department, said: At present we have not reduced Delhis supply and there are no immediate plans for the same either . However, if the situation becomes worse, we will be forced to take steps.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Water supply at peak, shortage blamed on thefts and leaks
Water supply at peak, shortage blamed on thefts and leaks
Neha Lalchandani | TNN
New Delhi: Even as Delhi received a record supply of 825 million gallons per day (MGD) on Saturday, several parts of the city witnessed a shortage with the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) officials blaming the anomaly on political pressure and infrastructural bottleneck.
Though the Board claims that in terms of supply it has never been more comfortably placed, it says that it is losing a massive 25% of supply to thefts and nonmetered connections and another 20% through leaks. Thefts and unauthorised connections account for 150MGD loss. Tail-end areas suffer the most, said a senior DJB official.
Old Rajinder Nagar, for instance, has been complaining of smelly water supply for months and that DJB officials do not respond to any complaint. The area is fed by some lines that pass through Patel Nagar . This particular section itself has some 5,000 unauthorised tappings. The line is perforated with illegal connections, causing not just loss of water but also leading to several pollutants entering the supply system . We have been trying for years to sort out the problem but our men have been threatened physically, said a DJB official.
Mukherjee Nagar also faces the same problem. Pressure from local politicians is also a routine affair. Water is a sensitive issue and crucial during elections. Each MLA is vying with the other to ensure better supply for his area which also includes unauthorised connections . The administration needs to take strict action against defaulters but nothing has happened so far, said the official.
At Paharganj, officials say the problem exists as the area is at the tail-end of the supply network and construction en route has gone up so much that the area receives very little water. We had planned supply for a certain number of people. However, population and area occupancy grew beyond our imagination , said an official.
The ongoing power crisis is also causing problems for DJB. Several of its boosters were hit by power cuts and officials said that even though they had the water to supply, they were unable to do so. The discoms should ensure that essential services like water are not hit when they have to carry out loadshedding. Our treatment plants have also been affected in the past which meant that our water production was adversely affected, said the official.
We can understand that the utility has problems but why should we suffer for that. If they know there is so much illegal extraction, why cant they force the police to take action. Why make excuses for the mismanagement , said Sudhir Nagpal, a resident of Rajinder Nagar.
Neha Lalchandani | TNN
New Delhi: Even as Delhi received a record supply of 825 million gallons per day (MGD) on Saturday, several parts of the city witnessed a shortage with the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) officials blaming the anomaly on political pressure and infrastructural bottleneck.
Though the Board claims that in terms of supply it has never been more comfortably placed, it says that it is losing a massive 25% of supply to thefts and nonmetered connections and another 20% through leaks. Thefts and unauthorised connections account for 150MGD loss. Tail-end areas suffer the most, said a senior DJB official.
Old Rajinder Nagar, for instance, has been complaining of smelly water supply for months and that DJB officials do not respond to any complaint. The area is fed by some lines that pass through Patel Nagar . This particular section itself has some 5,000 unauthorised tappings. The line is perforated with illegal connections, causing not just loss of water but also leading to several pollutants entering the supply system . We have been trying for years to sort out the problem but our men have been threatened physically, said a DJB official.
Mukherjee Nagar also faces the same problem. Pressure from local politicians is also a routine affair. Water is a sensitive issue and crucial during elections. Each MLA is vying with the other to ensure better supply for his area which also includes unauthorised connections . The administration needs to take strict action against defaulters but nothing has happened so far, said the official.
At Paharganj, officials say the problem exists as the area is at the tail-end of the supply network and construction en route has gone up so much that the area receives very little water. We had planned supply for a certain number of people. However, population and area occupancy grew beyond our imagination , said an official.
The ongoing power crisis is also causing problems for DJB. Several of its boosters were hit by power cuts and officials said that even though they had the water to supply, they were unable to do so. The discoms should ensure that essential services like water are not hit when they have to carry out loadshedding. Our treatment plants have also been affected in the past which meant that our water production was adversely affected, said the official.
We can understand that the utility has problems but why should we suffer for that. If they know there is so much illegal extraction, why cant they force the police to take action. Why make excuses for the mismanagement , said Sudhir Nagpal, a resident of Rajinder Nagar.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
45% of water is lost in transit
45% of water is lost in transit
Capital Faces 400MGD Shortage Despite Getting Maximum Supply Ever
Neha Lalchandani | TNN
New Delhi: It is ironical that at a point when Delhi is getting the maximum supply of water ever about 820 million gallons per day (MGD), the city is rocked by protests over poor supply. While Delhi Jal Board (DJB) says demand is far more than supply, a gap of around 400 MGD, others claim this is a projection to mask the complete mismanagement of water resources in the city.
According to a CSE survey, the per capita per day water availability varies from 509l to 462l in NDMC areas to 29l in Mehrauli.
DJB says the demand in Delhi is about 869 MGD or 274 litres per capita per day (lpcd). However, if one was to go by the central public health and environmental engineering organisation recommendations, the per capita norm for an urban centre like Delhi is 172 lpcd, in which case Delhi has sufficient water for its population . The problems arise due to losses from leakages about 45%, inequitable distribution and lack of storage capacity .
An affidavit submitted in court by the UD ministry points out: ... it is submitted that MPD 2021 recognises the problem as not of availability but of effective management ... all the water supplied does not actually reach the people ... as per estimates, around 70% of Delhis population consumes less than 5% of the total water supply while 3% of its population receives more than 11% of DJBs supply.
Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) carried out a water availability survey in Sangam Vihar recently. Its findings are indicative of the huge inequity that exists in distribution . Babloo Kumar Kesarwani is a vegetable vendor living in Sangam Vihar with his family of four. He gets water from a borewell connection for which he pays Rs 300/month to a private water supplier. He gets water once a week which he stores in his tank. He consumes 6 kl of water which works out to Rs 50/kl. In GK-2 , the monthly consumption of a three-member family is 26.71 kl/month and they pay Rs 161/month. It works out to Rs 6/kl, said R K Srinivasan, water expert with CSE.
The supply in Sangam Vihar is almost entirely controlled by the water mafia. There are about 100 borewells supplying water to 700-800 households and each household pays an average of Rs 400-500 /month. Lack of a proper supply is also leading to massive depletion of groundwater resources, added Srinivasan.
DJB officials say they are helpless in the face of infrastructure . We are in the process of replacing a large part of the distribution lines and hope to curtail losses there. Secondly, once all the underground reservoirs are commissioned, we will have a more balanced distribution network, said an official.
Recently when residents of Vasant Kunj, where commissioning of Sonia Vihar actually made the situation worse, protested against haphazard distribution, DJB CEO Ramesh Negi had said: This is an aberration in the planning process. People have constructed more than what was planned. Population has also gone up far more than was expected. Booster pumps have also ensured that while some are getting a lot of water, those at tail ends have to pay for a reduced supply . In the coming few years, Delhis supply is going to go up further. Three more WTPs at Dwarka, Bawana and Okhla will add 80 MGD to the network while the Munak canal, when completed, will save another 80 MGD for the city. A CGWA report suggests that DJB can harvest an additional 185 MGD by installing tubewells in the Yamuna riverbed.
Capital Faces 400MGD Shortage Despite Getting Maximum Supply Ever
Neha Lalchandani | TNN
New Delhi: It is ironical that at a point when Delhi is getting the maximum supply of water ever about 820 million gallons per day (MGD), the city is rocked by protests over poor supply. While Delhi Jal Board (DJB) says demand is far more than supply, a gap of around 400 MGD, others claim this is a projection to mask the complete mismanagement of water resources in the city.
According to a CSE survey, the per capita per day water availability varies from 509l to 462l in NDMC areas to 29l in Mehrauli.
DJB says the demand in Delhi is about 869 MGD or 274 litres per capita per day (lpcd). However, if one was to go by the central public health and environmental engineering organisation recommendations, the per capita norm for an urban centre like Delhi is 172 lpcd, in which case Delhi has sufficient water for its population . The problems arise due to losses from leakages about 45%, inequitable distribution and lack of storage capacity .
An affidavit submitted in court by the UD ministry points out: ... it is submitted that MPD 2021 recognises the problem as not of availability but of effective management ... all the water supplied does not actually reach the people ... as per estimates, around 70% of Delhis population consumes less than 5% of the total water supply while 3% of its population receives more than 11% of DJBs supply.
Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) carried out a water availability survey in Sangam Vihar recently. Its findings are indicative of the huge inequity that exists in distribution . Babloo Kumar Kesarwani is a vegetable vendor living in Sangam Vihar with his family of four. He gets water from a borewell connection for which he pays Rs 300/month to a private water supplier. He gets water once a week which he stores in his tank. He consumes 6 kl of water which works out to Rs 50/kl. In GK-2 , the monthly consumption of a three-member family is 26.71 kl/month and they pay Rs 161/month. It works out to Rs 6/kl, said R K Srinivasan, water expert with CSE.
The supply in Sangam Vihar is almost entirely controlled by the water mafia. There are about 100 borewells supplying water to 700-800 households and each household pays an average of Rs 400-500 /month. Lack of a proper supply is also leading to massive depletion of groundwater resources, added Srinivasan.
DJB officials say they are helpless in the face of infrastructure . We are in the process of replacing a large part of the distribution lines and hope to curtail losses there. Secondly, once all the underground reservoirs are commissioned, we will have a more balanced distribution network, said an official.
Recently when residents of Vasant Kunj, where commissioning of Sonia Vihar actually made the situation worse, protested against haphazard distribution, DJB CEO Ramesh Negi had said: This is an aberration in the planning process. People have constructed more than what was planned. Population has also gone up far more than was expected. Booster pumps have also ensured that while some are getting a lot of water, those at tail ends have to pay for a reduced supply . In the coming few years, Delhis supply is going to go up further. Three more WTPs at Dwarka, Bawana and Okhla will add 80 MGD to the network while the Munak canal, when completed, will save another 80 MGD for the city. A CGWA report suggests that DJB can harvest an additional 185 MGD by installing tubewells in the Yamuna riverbed.
WATER STORAGE RESERVOIRS
Rainwater goes waste as capital lacks reservoirs
Neha Lalchandani | TNN
New Delhi: In 1989, the Delhi government had estimated that 59 underground reservoirs (UGR) would be required in the city to ensure equitable distribution of water. In 2000-02 , another study carried out recommended a further 53 UGRs for the Capital. Problems of land, errant contractors and increased costs have meant that only about 49 have been commissioned till now. UGRs are essential for a balanced distribution system within the city. But of the 53 UGRs proposed in early 2000, 24 have been commissioned, 10 will be commissioned this year, 12 will be complete by next year and another 7 are awaiting land clearance for work to start.
By the time land was acquired, costs of construction went up and contractors proved to be a problem. In the case of Sonia Vihar, our UGR system is still not in place as by the time UP released water for it, the contractor decided to run off as the price of cement and steel had gone up, said a DJB official.
During peak monsoon, Delhi gets about 40,000 MGD of water, most of which is not used as Delhis treatment capacity is about 700 MGD and it doesnt have any storage capacity. According to Central Pollution Control Board data, Delhis allocation for the monsoon, between July and October, is 580 million cubic meters (MCM). Of this the Capital utilises only 282 MCM and the
rest flows away. A plan to have a barrage at Palla, which would ensure a 60-day storage for the Wazirabad and Chandrawal treatment plants, is still hanging as it is yet to get clearance from other states. The CWC has already conducted a pre-feasibility study on the project. Delhi has a huge problem of no storage upstream or within the city. Due to this, hundreds of thousands gallons of water is released into the Yamuna annually. The Capital is constantly treading the tightrope with its neighbours because of its dependence on them for water, said a DJB official.
Neha Lalchandani | TNN
New Delhi: In 1989, the Delhi government had estimated that 59 underground reservoirs (UGR) would be required in the city to ensure equitable distribution of water. In 2000-02 , another study carried out recommended a further 53 UGRs for the Capital. Problems of land, errant contractors and increased costs have meant that only about 49 have been commissioned till now. UGRs are essential for a balanced distribution system within the city. But of the 53 UGRs proposed in early 2000, 24 have been commissioned, 10 will be commissioned this year, 12 will be complete by next year and another 7 are awaiting land clearance for work to start.
By the time land was acquired, costs of construction went up and contractors proved to be a problem. In the case of Sonia Vihar, our UGR system is still not in place as by the time UP released water for it, the contractor decided to run off as the price of cement and steel had gone up, said a DJB official.
During peak monsoon, Delhi gets about 40,000 MGD of water, most of which is not used as Delhis treatment capacity is about 700 MGD and it doesnt have any storage capacity. According to Central Pollution Control Board data, Delhis allocation for the monsoon, between July and October, is 580 million cubic meters (MCM). Of this the Capital utilises only 282 MCM and the
rest flows away. A plan to have a barrage at Palla, which would ensure a 60-day storage for the Wazirabad and Chandrawal treatment plants, is still hanging as it is yet to get clearance from other states. The CWC has already conducted a pre-feasibility study on the project. Delhi has a huge problem of no storage upstream or within the city. Due to this, hundreds of thousands gallons of water is released into the Yamuna annually. The Capital is constantly treading the tightrope with its neighbours because of its dependence on them for water, said a DJB official.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Waiting For Rain
Waiting For Rain
Reduce Indias dependence on the monsoons
Sometime ago, the authorities claimed that a delayed monsoon didnt necessarily mean a bad monsoon. Then came the announcement of a below normal monsoon, glum news especially for the granaries of the north-west . As if on cue it began raining in western Gujarat, prompting the meteorological department to hail the monsoons arrival on the west coast and its anticipated extension to central India. July, its been suggested, may make up for Junes shortfall in rain. Everyone now has fingers crossed about the next crucial 20 days. Surely, instead of see-sawing between hope and despair each time rains play truant, India ought to deal with the problem of its monsoon-dependence scientifically.
Representing around 17 per cent of Indias GDP, agriculture has averaged nearly 4 per cent growth over five years. The sector was expected to buoy Indias overall growth, hit by the global crisis . Manufacturing is down. Exports are down. If the monsoon does disappoint, farm production will fall at about the worst possible time. Nearly 70 per cent of Indians depend on farming. Many handling summer-sown crops like rice, soybean, sugarcane and cotton would be impacted, as also dealers in food and cash crops. Rural demand has been robust. A poor monsoon could change that. Food prices are already high. They could hit the roof.
If rains are deficient, many rain-fed farms will need help in switching to less water-dependent crops. Rice-growing Orissa advises use of short duration paddy seeds. Bihar is thinking of diesel subsidies so fields can be kept irrigated. Andhra is even mulling cloud seeding. Whatever strategies they adopt, affected states must rigorously implement the rural job guarantee scheme should farm hands need alternative employment. While buffer stocks are comfortable, proper storage to avoid wastage and corruption-free distribution need attention to ensure food security, now and as a general rule. Heres also hoping for better forecasts from Indias weathermen.
Irrespective of how the situation plays out, studies on monsoon patterns indicate a generally erratic and weakening trend. Yet Indias output of water-intensive crops is to grow exponentially in future, implying massive groundwater depletion in wheat and rice-growing states. Managing water resources harvesting, extraction, storage or recycling cant but be top priority. Woefully inadequate irrigation infrastructure needs overhaul. India can learn a lot from technologically innovative Israel, a model of efficient water management. Consider drip irrigation, which avoids evaporation by keeping the soil moist underground. Also, power subsidies encourage waste of water. Their calibrated rollback is required, as also strict use of water meters. Finally, theres need to boost manufacturing to meet growth targets and ease dependence on agriculture . By World Bank estimates, our water demand will outstrip supply by 2020. Staving off such a scenario will require more than propitiating the rain gods.
Reduce Indias dependence on the monsoons
Sometime ago, the authorities claimed that a delayed monsoon didnt necessarily mean a bad monsoon. Then came the announcement of a below normal monsoon, glum news especially for the granaries of the north-west . As if on cue it began raining in western Gujarat, prompting the meteorological department to hail the monsoons arrival on the west coast and its anticipated extension to central India. July, its been suggested, may make up for Junes shortfall in rain. Everyone now has fingers crossed about the next crucial 20 days. Surely, instead of see-sawing between hope and despair each time rains play truant, India ought to deal with the problem of its monsoon-dependence scientifically.
Representing around 17 per cent of Indias GDP, agriculture has averaged nearly 4 per cent growth over five years. The sector was expected to buoy Indias overall growth, hit by the global crisis . Manufacturing is down. Exports are down. If the monsoon does disappoint, farm production will fall at about the worst possible time. Nearly 70 per cent of Indians depend on farming. Many handling summer-sown crops like rice, soybean, sugarcane and cotton would be impacted, as also dealers in food and cash crops. Rural demand has been robust. A poor monsoon could change that. Food prices are already high. They could hit the roof.
If rains are deficient, many rain-fed farms will need help in switching to less water-dependent crops. Rice-growing Orissa advises use of short duration paddy seeds. Bihar is thinking of diesel subsidies so fields can be kept irrigated. Andhra is even mulling cloud seeding. Whatever strategies they adopt, affected states must rigorously implement the rural job guarantee scheme should farm hands need alternative employment. While buffer stocks are comfortable, proper storage to avoid wastage and corruption-free distribution need attention to ensure food security, now and as a general rule. Heres also hoping for better forecasts from Indias weathermen.
Irrespective of how the situation plays out, studies on monsoon patterns indicate a generally erratic and weakening trend. Yet Indias output of water-intensive crops is to grow exponentially in future, implying massive groundwater depletion in wheat and rice-growing states. Managing water resources harvesting, extraction, storage or recycling cant but be top priority. Woefully inadequate irrigation infrastructure needs overhaul. India can learn a lot from technologically innovative Israel, a model of efficient water management. Consider drip irrigation, which avoids evaporation by keeping the soil moist underground. Also, power subsidies encourage waste of water. Their calibrated rollback is required, as also strict use of water meters. Finally, theres need to boost manufacturing to meet growth targets and ease dependence on agriculture . By World Bank estimates, our water demand will outstrip supply by 2020. Staving off such a scenario will require more than propitiating the rain gods.
Rivers Flow To Enrich And Enable
Let Sacred Rivers Flow To Enrich And Enable
Bharat Jhunjhunwala
We offer prayers of thanksgiving to water as a river stored in a sacred pot, the kalash, because water is a blessing; it is life-giving and life-sustaining .
On a metaphysical plane, the cleansing power of water is believed to help remove inner disturbances . The waters absorb our negative thoughts when we take a dip in the river. The river then discharges those negative thoughts and the waters are purified when rishis undertake penance on the banks of rivers. The river waters are sacred passages that connect sinners with holy men and women and river banks are suffused with the spiritual energy of those who meditate there.
The superior physical , chemical and organic qualities of river waters arise from the waters rubbing against stones, gravel, herbs and plants and their mingling with air. Certain curative qualities of the River Ganga, for example, arise from the presence of medicinal herbs found in the Himalayan range of mountains. These waters also contain micro levels of beneficial radioactivity.
It is necessary that the physical qualities of waters of the rivers are kept pure in order that the deeper spiritual qualities are manifest. Such interrelationship is explained in the light of Patanjalis Ashtanga Yoga. Just as eight types of cleanliness are necessary for the soul to rise to Godhead, it is necessary to maintain the physical, chemical and biological qualities of the rivers in their pristine form to make it possible for them to absolve us of our sins.
We must promote economic activities to alleviate the suffering of the poor. However, economic development or activities associated with artha or the material plane should be pursued in a way that they uphold longterm social good and protect the environment, establishing dharma . The way forward is to develop the service sector in a way that it is in tune with environmental harmony, utilising minimum energy . We need to get sensitised to our natural surroundings.
Urban sewage, even if treated, should not be discharged into rivers . Rather, it should be utilised for irrigation purposes. The hill areas need to be protected from indiscriminate activity in the name of development and efforts should be stepped up to keep the
hillsides free of garbage . If the spiritual and natural quality of rivers is diluted near their origins in the hills and the waters are diverted to tunnels, canals and reservoirs, the rivers tend to lose their contact with natural surroundings and ambience , and in the process, lose some of the spiritual qualities that render the waters sacred.
Drinking water being supplied from rivers to urban areas ought not to be at the cost of endangering the river itself. It should be a gentle arrangement, rather like the Sun taking water from rivers and lakes and turning it into rain, in a way that nothing is wasted. During the monsoon season, when there is increased flow of water in rivers, some water may be diverted and stored in other off-line reservoirs for use as drinking water and for irrigation in winter and summer months without ever disturbing the main flow of the river.
Instead of raising embankments , river water must be allowed to spread naturally and replenish Earth. Floods perform valuable functions of providing silt for flood-recession agriculture and recharging groundwater.
Bharat Jhunjhunwala
We offer prayers of thanksgiving to water as a river stored in a sacred pot, the kalash, because water is a blessing; it is life-giving and life-sustaining .
On a metaphysical plane, the cleansing power of water is believed to help remove inner disturbances . The waters absorb our negative thoughts when we take a dip in the river. The river then discharges those negative thoughts and the waters are purified when rishis undertake penance on the banks of rivers. The river waters are sacred passages that connect sinners with holy men and women and river banks are suffused with the spiritual energy of those who meditate there.
The superior physical , chemical and organic qualities of river waters arise from the waters rubbing against stones, gravel, herbs and plants and their mingling with air. Certain curative qualities of the River Ganga, for example, arise from the presence of medicinal herbs found in the Himalayan range of mountains. These waters also contain micro levels of beneficial radioactivity.
It is necessary that the physical qualities of waters of the rivers are kept pure in order that the deeper spiritual qualities are manifest. Such interrelationship is explained in the light of Patanjalis Ashtanga Yoga. Just as eight types of cleanliness are necessary for the soul to rise to Godhead, it is necessary to maintain the physical, chemical and biological qualities of the rivers in their pristine form to make it possible for them to absolve us of our sins.
We must promote economic activities to alleviate the suffering of the poor. However, economic development or activities associated with artha or the material plane should be pursued in a way that they uphold longterm social good and protect the environment, establishing dharma . The way forward is to develop the service sector in a way that it is in tune with environmental harmony, utilising minimum energy . We need to get sensitised to our natural surroundings.
Urban sewage, even if treated, should not be discharged into rivers . Rather, it should be utilised for irrigation purposes. The hill areas need to be protected from indiscriminate activity in the name of development and efforts should be stepped up to keep the
hillsides free of garbage . If the spiritual and natural quality of rivers is diluted near their origins in the hills and the waters are diverted to tunnels, canals and reservoirs, the rivers tend to lose their contact with natural surroundings and ambience , and in the process, lose some of the spiritual qualities that render the waters sacred.
Drinking water being supplied from rivers to urban areas ought not to be at the cost of endangering the river itself. It should be a gentle arrangement, rather like the Sun taking water from rivers and lakes and turning it into rain, in a way that nothing is wasted. During the monsoon season, when there is increased flow of water in rivers, some water may be diverted and stored in other off-line reservoirs for use as drinking water and for irrigation in winter and summer months without ever disturbing the main flow of the river.
Instead of raising embankments , river water must be allowed to spread naturally and replenish Earth. Floods perform valuable functions of providing silt for flood-recession agriculture and recharging groundwater.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Wash clothes with just a cup of water
Wash clothes with just a cup of water
London: Water conservation usually takes a backseat while doing laundry, but not anymore, for now a new environmentally friendly washing machine, which uses use only one cup of water and leaves clothes virtually dry, is all set to hit showrooms next year.
Developed at the University of Leeds, the technologyaims save up to 90% of water used by conventional machines, use 30% less energy , and thus can have the environmental impact of taking two million cars off the road.
The washing machine works by replacing most of the water with thousands of tiny, reusable nylon polymer beads, which attract and absorb dirt under humid conditions.
Only a small amount of water and detergent is needed to dampen the clothes, loosen stains and create the water vapour that allows the beads to work.
And after the cycle is finished, the beads fall through a mesh in the machines drum, and can be re-used up to a hundred times. The company behind the technology , Xeros, is initially aiming at the commercial washing market , including hotels and dry cleaners.
Bill Westwater, Xeros chief executive , said that growing pressure on companies and consumers to cut water usage and carbon emissions might boost demand for the system.
Weve got an eye on the consumer but it will take time and we hope commercial success could act as a springboard to move into the consumer market, Times Online quoted Westwater as saying.
Stephen Burkinshaw from Leeds developed the technology over the past 30 years. He said: Weve shown that it can remove all sorts of everyday stains including coffee and lipstick while using a tiny fraction of the water used by conventional machines.
About 20kg of the beads are added, along with a cup of water and detergent. The chips can be used up to 100 times, the equivalent of six months washing. ANI
London: Water conservation usually takes a backseat while doing laundry, but not anymore, for now a new environmentally friendly washing machine, which uses use only one cup of water and leaves clothes virtually dry, is all set to hit showrooms next year.
Developed at the University of Leeds, the technologyaims save up to 90% of water used by conventional machines, use 30% less energy , and thus can have the environmental impact of taking two million cars off the road.
The washing machine works by replacing most of the water with thousands of tiny, reusable nylon polymer beads, which attract and absorb dirt under humid conditions.
Only a small amount of water and detergent is needed to dampen the clothes, loosen stains and create the water vapour that allows the beads to work.
And after the cycle is finished, the beads fall through a mesh in the machines drum, and can be re-used up to a hundred times. The company behind the technology , Xeros, is initially aiming at the commercial washing market , including hotels and dry cleaners.
Bill Westwater, Xeros chief executive , said that growing pressure on companies and consumers to cut water usage and carbon emissions might boost demand for the system.
Weve got an eye on the consumer but it will take time and we hope commercial success could act as a springboard to move into the consumer market, Times Online quoted Westwater as saying.
Stephen Burkinshaw from Leeds developed the technology over the past 30 years. He said: Weve shown that it can remove all sorts of everyday stains including coffee and lipstick while using a tiny fraction of the water used by conventional machines.
About 20kg of the beads are added, along with a cup of water and detergent. The chips can be used up to 100 times, the equivalent of six months washing. ANI
Thursday, June 11, 2009
DESALINATION PLANTS
Watered down effort
We are scraping the bottom of water sources. It is time we leaned on desalination plants
Debasish Roy
Water wars do not refer to exchanges during Holi anymore. They are going to be real soon as in the next five years neighbours are likely to kill each other for want of drinking water. Fresh water is the elusive entity whereas brackish water is available in abundance in 71 per cent of the earth's surface. This makes human habitation extremely fragile and difficult to sustain. Government bodies have been largely saddled with the dirty job of cleaning water and delivering it to people's homes for a price. This model is clearly not working any more as the pressure on populations and cities is way too much.
On the other hand, we cannot neglect the importance of water in our daily lives. Says Anshu Bagai, marketing director , Tupperware India, "Water , is the most precious resource on planet earth and is essential for all dimensions of life. I believe that the lack of safe drinking water and storage of water are the biggest hurdles in the path of good health. This requirement has created a boom in the water storage segment and the Indian market is looking forward for innovative and hygienic products."
Small companies such as www.waterofindia.com, www.fermish .com and www.delhiforwater .com have tried to address the problem to a certain extent by spreading awareness about the concept as well as thier own company's products. However, a lot more needs to be done before things are even neck to neck with the problem. For instance, the Yamuna is one 25th the size of what it was during 1980s by volume. On the other hand, the population of Delhi has grown equally. Where will the water come from to service this mammoth population
Says Anupam Bharat, MD, Usha Shriram Enterprises Pvt. Ltd, "Water is the driving force for all of nature and our health. It keeps a doctor away if we drink it cleaner and safer so water purifiers play a big role in maintaining good health. Better safe than sorry in case of drinking water." Ideas such as Bharat's reflect the need for the age old technique of rain water harvesting started by the Mughals of Samarkhand; they never allowed a drop of water to escape to a drain after the rain. Water was stored in hollow walls and underground reservoirs which cool the fort and also supply water for daily needs. Unfortunately, nowadays the population of a city is 100 times what it was those days and everyone lives outside the fort.
Desalination on the other hand is a better option where the expenditure incurred by a company or a government is one time. At a cost of Rs 575 crore ($115 million) or more, one can set up a desalination plant and then keep changing the ceramic filters where the saline water is passed under pressure where it yields the pollutant particles as gunk. This is a sustainable model of water supply and it is also cheaper in the long run -- all it needs is political will to spend the one time investment in areas such as the middle east, Washington DC, Hong Kong and our very own Chennai.
Trial and error is not something that is possible here.
We are scraping the bottom of water sources. It is time we leaned on desalination plants
Debasish Roy
Water wars do not refer to exchanges during Holi anymore. They are going to be real soon as in the next five years neighbours are likely to kill each other for want of drinking water. Fresh water is the elusive entity whereas brackish water is available in abundance in 71 per cent of the earth's surface. This makes human habitation extremely fragile and difficult to sustain. Government bodies have been largely saddled with the dirty job of cleaning water and delivering it to people's homes for a price. This model is clearly not working any more as the pressure on populations and cities is way too much.
On the other hand, we cannot neglect the importance of water in our daily lives. Says Anshu Bagai, marketing director , Tupperware India, "Water , is the most precious resource on planet earth and is essential for all dimensions of life. I believe that the lack of safe drinking water and storage of water are the biggest hurdles in the path of good health. This requirement has created a boom in the water storage segment and the Indian market is looking forward for innovative and hygienic products."
Small companies such as www.waterofindia.com, www.fermish .com and www.delhiforwater .com have tried to address the problem to a certain extent by spreading awareness about the concept as well as thier own company's products. However, a lot more needs to be done before things are even neck to neck with the problem. For instance, the Yamuna is one 25th the size of what it was during 1980s by volume. On the other hand, the population of Delhi has grown equally. Where will the water come from to service this mammoth population
Says Anupam Bharat, MD, Usha Shriram Enterprises Pvt. Ltd, "Water is the driving force for all of nature and our health. It keeps a doctor away if we drink it cleaner and safer so water purifiers play a big role in maintaining good health. Better safe than sorry in case of drinking water." Ideas such as Bharat's reflect the need for the age old technique of rain water harvesting started by the Mughals of Samarkhand; they never allowed a drop of water to escape to a drain after the rain. Water was stored in hollow walls and underground reservoirs which cool the fort and also supply water for daily needs. Unfortunately, nowadays the population of a city is 100 times what it was those days and everyone lives outside the fort.
Desalination on the other hand is a better option where the expenditure incurred by a company or a government is one time. At a cost of Rs 575 crore ($115 million) or more, one can set up a desalination plant and then keep changing the ceramic filters where the saline water is passed under pressure where it yields the pollutant particles as gunk. This is a sustainable model of water supply and it is also cheaper in the long run -- all it needs is political will to spend the one time investment in areas such as the middle east, Washington DC, Hong Kong and our very own Chennai.
Trial and error is not something that is possible here.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
WATER PURIFICATION SYSTEMS
Ensure safe water
Pollution of groundwater ought to be made a criminal offence and the law enforced with efficiency
Pallavee Dhaundiyal Panthry & Debasish Roy
Industrialization has definitely provided livelihood and opportunities to millions in urban India. However, it has raised the problem of waste disposal, contamination of environment - air, soil, surface water bodies and ground water aquifer, etc.,-- which have resulted in contamination imperiling human beings, livestock and plants.
Pollution of groundwater with industrial effluents and municipal waste released into water bodies is another major concern in many cities and industrial clusters in India.
The presence of fluoride in water cannot be detected without the help of equipment otherwise evident through symptoms such as yellowing of teeth, damaged joints and bone deformities. Pharmaceutical chemicals are the latest addition to the numerous contaminants in the water bodies across the globe. Once the purity of water filtered with home water purification system becomes uncertain, most people start surviving on bottled water.
But with so many water purification systems options available in the market, how do we figure out which one produces healthiest water. The key to the right home water purifiers is to compare the features with the products contemporaries . The number of products can be simply compared on the requirements such as: capability to reduce contamination; overall cost; cost per gallon; purification technology used; power efficiency; ability to remove an identified list of toxins; stages of the system.
The widely in demand reverse osmosis purifiers are designed to remove the salt from the sea water along with minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Over the years, widespread construction and manufacturing in NCR has lead to chemical and bacteriological contamination in the ground water, rendering most drinking water sources unsafe for consumption. Reverse osmosis is the most effective water treatment technology that can remove a wide range of impurities, including chemicals, to make water completely safe for drinking, which is why it is the fastest growing segment in purifiers, says Shantanu Das Gupta, VP corporate affairs and strategy, Asia South, Whirlpool of India.
In distillation, the entire process removes pathogenic bacteria and inorganic compounds such as lead, calcium, magnesium etc. but it is not effective in removing chemicals , as these have lower boiling point than water. It is here that refrigeration gains importance as safe drinking water has to be stored hygenically and kept away from bacteria that can grow with time. However, ultra violet light kills bacteria and viruses present in water but these are ineffective against non-living substances such as lead, asbestos, chlorine and other organic chemicals. Hence, these are used in combination with carbon block technology that removes more contaminants than other system.
Pollution of groundwater ought to be made a criminal offence and the law enforced with efficiency
Pallavee Dhaundiyal Panthry & Debasish Roy
Industrialization has definitely provided livelihood and opportunities to millions in urban India. However, it has raised the problem of waste disposal, contamination of environment - air, soil, surface water bodies and ground water aquifer, etc.,-- which have resulted in contamination imperiling human beings, livestock and plants.
Pollution of groundwater with industrial effluents and municipal waste released into water bodies is another major concern in many cities and industrial clusters in India.
The presence of fluoride in water cannot be detected without the help of equipment otherwise evident through symptoms such as yellowing of teeth, damaged joints and bone deformities. Pharmaceutical chemicals are the latest addition to the numerous contaminants in the water bodies across the globe. Once the purity of water filtered with home water purification system becomes uncertain, most people start surviving on bottled water.
But with so many water purification systems options available in the market, how do we figure out which one produces healthiest water. The key to the right home water purifiers is to compare the features with the products contemporaries . The number of products can be simply compared on the requirements such as: capability to reduce contamination; overall cost; cost per gallon; purification technology used; power efficiency; ability to remove an identified list of toxins; stages of the system.
The widely in demand reverse osmosis purifiers are designed to remove the salt from the sea water along with minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Over the years, widespread construction and manufacturing in NCR has lead to chemical and bacteriological contamination in the ground water, rendering most drinking water sources unsafe for consumption. Reverse osmosis is the most effective water treatment technology that can remove a wide range of impurities, including chemicals, to make water completely safe for drinking, which is why it is the fastest growing segment in purifiers, says Shantanu Das Gupta, VP corporate affairs and strategy, Asia South, Whirlpool of India.
In distillation, the entire process removes pathogenic bacteria and inorganic compounds such as lead, calcium, magnesium etc. but it is not effective in removing chemicals , as these have lower boiling point than water. It is here that refrigeration gains importance as safe drinking water has to be stored hygenically and kept away from bacteria that can grow with time. However, ultra violet light kills bacteria and viruses present in water but these are ineffective against non-living substances such as lead, asbestos, chlorine and other organic chemicals. Hence, these are used in combination with carbon block technology that removes more contaminants than other system.
CONSERVE WATER
CONSERVE WATER
Living in water surplus cities shouldn't mean water, water everywhere. Blaming the government, civic bodies, monsoon... all may be true, but that's just a part of the problem, for the major problem lies with us citizens. Water should be used conscientiously
Pallavee Dhaundiyal Panthry
When the well is dry, we know the worth of water, truly said Benjamin Franklin, (1706-1790 ), Poor Richard's Almanac, 1746. Water is a highly precious resource today. To one's wonder, there are some places where a barrel of water costs more than a barrel of oil. In a nutshell , it should become everyone's duty to conserve water by all means however big or small.
Living in water surplus cities shouldn't mean water water everywhere. Blaming the government, civic bodies, monsoon.. all may be true, but that's just a part of the problem , for the major problem lies with us citizens. Water should be used dutifully and conscientiously.
RUN THROUGH HISTORY
A run through Internet on water conservation says that our ancient religious texts and epics give a good insight into the water storage and conservation systems that prevailed in those days.
Over the years rising populations, growing industrialisation, and expanding agriculture have pushed up the demand for water . Efforts have been made to collect water by building dams and reservoirs and digging wells; some countries have also tried to recycle and desalinate water .
RAIN WATER HARVESTING
Water conservation has become the need of the day. The idea of ground water recharging by harvesting rainwater is gaining importance in many cities.
In the forests, water seeps gently into the ground as vegetation breaks the fall. This groundwater in turn feeds wells, lakes, and rivers. Protecting forests means protecting water 'catchments' . In ancient India , people believed that forests were the 'mothers ' of rivers and worshipped the sources of these water bodies.
AS OLD AS THE INDUS VALLEY
Some ancient Indian methods of water conservation: The Indus Valley Civilisation, that flourished along the banks of the river Indus and other parts of western and northern India about 5,000 years ago, had one of the most sophisticated urban water supply and sewage systems in the world. The fact that the people were well acquainted with hygiene can be seen from the covered drains running beneath the streets of the ruins at both Mohenjodaro and Harappa. Another very good example is the well-planned city of Dholavira, on Khadir Bet, a low plateau in the Rann in Gujarat . One of the oldest water harvesting systems is found about 130 km from Pune along Naneghat in the Western Ghats. A large number of tanks were cut in the rocks to provide drinking water to tradesmen who used to travel along this ancient trade route. Each fort in the area had its own water harvesting and storage system in the form of rock-cut cisterns, ponds, tanks and wells that are still in use today . A large number of forts like Raigad had tanks that supplied water.
SURVIVING IN THE DESERT
In ancient times, houses in parts of western Rajasthan were built so that each had a rooftop water harvesting system. Rainwater from these rooftops was directed into underground tanks. This system can be seen even today in all the forts, palaces and houses of the region.
Underground baked earthen pipes and tunnels to maintain the flow of water and to transport it to distant places, are still functional at Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh, Golkunda and Bijapur in Karnataka, and Aurangabad in Maharashtra.
THE HOW AND WHY OF RAINWATER HARVESTING
All you need for a water harvesting system is rain, and a place to collect it. Typically, rain is collected on rooftops and other surfaces , and the water is carried down to where it can be used immediately or stored. You can direct water run-off from this surface to plants, trees or lawns or even to the aquifer.
This has become a very popular method of conserving water especially in the urban areas. Town planners and concerned authorities in many cities in India are introducing bylaws making rainwater harvesting compulsory in all new structures. No water or sewage connection would be given if a new building did not have provisions for rainwater harvesting. Such rules should also be implemented in all the other cities to ensure a rise in the groundwater level.
Realising the importance of recharging groundwater, the Central Ground Water Board has asked many government buildings to go in for water harvesting in Delhi and other cities of India.
The benefits of rainwater harvesting includes - increase in water availability, a check on the declining water table; environmentally friendly, improves the quality of groundwater through the dilution of fluoride, nitrate, and salinity , and prevents soil erosion and flooding especially in urban areas
A star tale: Once a time, Cherrapunji was famous, for it received the largest volume of rainfall in the world. It still does but ironically, experiences acute water shortages, mainly due to deforestation. But, under the guidance of some NGOs (non-government organizations ), the women living in the area were encouraged to take the initiative in building "johads " (round ponds) and dams to hold back rainwater . Gradually, water began coming back as proper methods of conserving and harvesting rainwater were followed . The revival of the river has transformed the ecology of the place and the lives of the people living along its banks.
CONSERVATION COUPLED WITH TECHNOLOGY
Conservation of the water that we have is one thing. At the same time, introduction of new concepts and technologies for better production of fresh water safe for drinking is another necessary step.
The introduction of desalination plants around the world and in areas such as New Delhi or Chennai where water is scarce and sea water which is abundant can be brought into the domain of the householders table either through pumping stations or linked to pipes on the lines of the crude oil brought in from Bombay High to the Mathura refinery.
Conservation is a cultivated habit whereas technology is the mother of an industry -- the water industry which can be brought in to play a crucial role not only to provide livelihoods all around but also to add to the health of the population. Makes eminent sense, doesnt it
Dos and don'ts
Try some simple techniques to conserve water
Promote water conservation in community newsletters and on bulletin boards.
Encourage your friends, neighbours and co-workers to also contribute.
Encourage your family to keep looking for new ways to conserve water in and around your home.
Avoid using hosepipes to water plants or wash car/bike.
Drive your car onto a lawn to wash it. Rinse water can help water the grass.
Check toilet for leaks. Make sure that your home is leak-free .
Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Put a brick or any other device that occupies space to cut down on the amount of water needed for each flush.
Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. Saves three gallons each day
.
Turn off the water while shaving. Fill the bottom of the sink with a few inches of water to rinse your razor. Saves three gallons each day
.
In kitchen don't leave the water running for rinsing .. Saves 200 to 500 gallons a month.
Living in water surplus cities shouldn't mean water, water everywhere. Blaming the government, civic bodies, monsoon... all may be true, but that's just a part of the problem, for the major problem lies with us citizens. Water should be used conscientiously
Pallavee Dhaundiyal Panthry
When the well is dry, we know the worth of water, truly said Benjamin Franklin, (1706-1790 ), Poor Richard's Almanac, 1746. Water is a highly precious resource today. To one's wonder, there are some places where a barrel of water costs more than a barrel of oil. In a nutshell , it should become everyone's duty to conserve water by all means however big or small.
Living in water surplus cities shouldn't mean water water everywhere. Blaming the government, civic bodies, monsoon.. all may be true, but that's just a part of the problem , for the major problem lies with us citizens. Water should be used dutifully and conscientiously.
RUN THROUGH HISTORY
A run through Internet on water conservation says that our ancient religious texts and epics give a good insight into the water storage and conservation systems that prevailed in those days.
Over the years rising populations, growing industrialisation, and expanding agriculture have pushed up the demand for water . Efforts have been made to collect water by building dams and reservoirs and digging wells; some countries have also tried to recycle and desalinate water .
RAIN WATER HARVESTING
Water conservation has become the need of the day. The idea of ground water recharging by harvesting rainwater is gaining importance in many cities.
In the forests, water seeps gently into the ground as vegetation breaks the fall. This groundwater in turn feeds wells, lakes, and rivers. Protecting forests means protecting water 'catchments' . In ancient India , people believed that forests were the 'mothers ' of rivers and worshipped the sources of these water bodies.
AS OLD AS THE INDUS VALLEY
Some ancient Indian methods of water conservation: The Indus Valley Civilisation, that flourished along the banks of the river Indus and other parts of western and northern India about 5,000 years ago, had one of the most sophisticated urban water supply and sewage systems in the world. The fact that the people were well acquainted with hygiene can be seen from the covered drains running beneath the streets of the ruins at both Mohenjodaro and Harappa. Another very good example is the well-planned city of Dholavira, on Khadir Bet, a low plateau in the Rann in Gujarat . One of the oldest water harvesting systems is found about 130 km from Pune along Naneghat in the Western Ghats. A large number of tanks were cut in the rocks to provide drinking water to tradesmen who used to travel along this ancient trade route. Each fort in the area had its own water harvesting and storage system in the form of rock-cut cisterns, ponds, tanks and wells that are still in use today . A large number of forts like Raigad had tanks that supplied water.
SURVIVING IN THE DESERT
In ancient times, houses in parts of western Rajasthan were built so that each had a rooftop water harvesting system. Rainwater from these rooftops was directed into underground tanks. This system can be seen even today in all the forts, palaces and houses of the region.
Underground baked earthen pipes and tunnels to maintain the flow of water and to transport it to distant places, are still functional at Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh, Golkunda and Bijapur in Karnataka, and Aurangabad in Maharashtra.
THE HOW AND WHY OF RAINWATER HARVESTING
All you need for a water harvesting system is rain, and a place to collect it. Typically, rain is collected on rooftops and other surfaces , and the water is carried down to where it can be used immediately or stored. You can direct water run-off from this surface to plants, trees or lawns or even to the aquifer.
This has become a very popular method of conserving water especially in the urban areas. Town planners and concerned authorities in many cities in India are introducing bylaws making rainwater harvesting compulsory in all new structures. No water or sewage connection would be given if a new building did not have provisions for rainwater harvesting. Such rules should also be implemented in all the other cities to ensure a rise in the groundwater level.
Realising the importance of recharging groundwater, the Central Ground Water Board has asked many government buildings to go in for water harvesting in Delhi and other cities of India.
The benefits of rainwater harvesting includes - increase in water availability, a check on the declining water table; environmentally friendly, improves the quality of groundwater through the dilution of fluoride, nitrate, and salinity , and prevents soil erosion and flooding especially in urban areas
A star tale: Once a time, Cherrapunji was famous, for it received the largest volume of rainfall in the world. It still does but ironically, experiences acute water shortages, mainly due to deforestation. But, under the guidance of some NGOs (non-government organizations ), the women living in the area were encouraged to take the initiative in building "johads " (round ponds) and dams to hold back rainwater . Gradually, water began coming back as proper methods of conserving and harvesting rainwater were followed . The revival of the river has transformed the ecology of the place and the lives of the people living along its banks.
CONSERVATION COUPLED WITH TECHNOLOGY
Conservation of the water that we have is one thing. At the same time, introduction of new concepts and technologies for better production of fresh water safe for drinking is another necessary step.
The introduction of desalination plants around the world and in areas such as New Delhi or Chennai where water is scarce and sea water which is abundant can be brought into the domain of the householders table either through pumping stations or linked to pipes on the lines of the crude oil brought in from Bombay High to the Mathura refinery.
Conservation is a cultivated habit whereas technology is the mother of an industry -- the water industry which can be brought in to play a crucial role not only to provide livelihoods all around but also to add to the health of the population. Makes eminent sense, doesnt it
Dos and don'ts
Try some simple techniques to conserve water
Promote water conservation in community newsletters and on bulletin boards.
Encourage your friends, neighbours and co-workers to also contribute.
Encourage your family to keep looking for new ways to conserve water in and around your home.
Avoid using hosepipes to water plants or wash car/bike.
Drive your car onto a lawn to wash it. Rinse water can help water the grass.
Check toilet for leaks. Make sure that your home is leak-free .
Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Put a brick or any other device that occupies space to cut down on the amount of water needed for each flush.
Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. Saves three gallons each day
.
Turn off the water while shaving. Fill the bottom of the sink with a few inches of water to rinse your razor. Saves three gallons each day
.
In kitchen don't leave the water running for rinsing .. Saves 200 to 500 gallons a month.
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