Points for writting: Marks No.

of pages

1. Introduction 2 1

2. Importance 2 1

3. Objectives of theproject 2 1

4. Project work methodology 4 2

5. Observations 4 2

6. Analysis of data 4 2

7. Results & Conclusions 2 1

Topic: Study water conservation method through various water

harvesting techniques/ recharges system in your locality which is in
practice. Make documents of it with diagrams.

Water Conservation:

Water conservation day is celebrated on 22nd of March. Water

conservation includes all thepolicies, strategies and activities to
sustainably manage thenatural resource of fresh water, to protect
thehydrosphere, and to meet thecurrent and future human demand.
Population, household size and growth and affluence all affect how
much water is used. Factors such as climate change have increased
pressures on natural water resources especially in manufacturing and
agricultural irrigation.[1] Many countries have already implemented
policies aimed at water conservation, with much success.[2]

thegoals of conservation efforts include:

Ensuring theavailability of water for future generations where

thewithdrawal of freshwater from an ecosystem does not exceed its
natural replacement rate.

Energy conservation as water pumping, delivery and wastewater

treatment facilities consume a significant amount of energy. In some
regions of theworld over 15% of total electricity consumption is
devoted to water management.

Habitat conservation where minimizing human water use helps to

preserve freshwater habitats for local wildlife and migrating waterfowl,
but also water quality.[3]thewater that leaks from aquagaurd should be
collected and could be used for household works.

theways by which water can be conserved are -

Do not leave tap open.

Do not open thetap and run away.

Do not leave tap open while brushing; etc.

Water Harvesting:

Rainwater harvesting is a type of harvest in which therain drops are

collected and stored for thefuture use, rather than allowing it to run off.
Rainwater can be collected from rivers or roofs and redirected to a deep
pit (well, shaft, or borehole), aquifer, a reservoir with percolation, or
collected from dew or fog with nets or other tools. Its uses include
water for gardens, livestock,[1] irrigation, domestic use with proper
treatment, indoor heating for houses, etc. theharvested water can also
be used as drinking water, longer-term storage, and for other purposes
such as groundwater recharge.

Rainwater harvesting is one of thesimplest and oldest methods of self-

supply of water for households usually financed by theuser.[2]

thewater conservation and harvesting techniques aims to maximise

theavailability of water. Water harvesting techniques gather water from
an area termed as 'catchment area' and channel it to thecropping area
or wherever it is required. Conservation techniques conserve water
within thebiomass and thesoil by reducing run-off and by keeping
thewater where it falls, as much as possible.

Principles of water harvesting and conservation:

In deciding which techniques to use to make more efficient use of

theavailable water, it is important to consider how crops receive or lose
water. Crops receive water through rainfall, irrigation and stored soil
water. They lose it through run-off, evaporation and drainage. Some key
principles on effective water managements are:

· Use rainwater effectively:

In many climates, rainfall is distributed unevenly in intense downpours

that cannot be readily used by a crop. Storage techniques ( such as
external catchments or roof top collection) increase theavailability of
water in thesrier seasons. They also harvest water from a wider area
making more water available to thecrop. Measures can also be taken to
avoid therainwater running off thesurface during intense rainfall.
 · Make effective use of soil water reserves:

thesoil stores water from rainfall providing a reserve that is available to

thecrop. How much water is available depends on thesoil type and
therooting system of thecrop. Sandy soils hold much less water than
clay or slit soils, so crops will require watering more often. Deeper
rooting crops, such as grasses or cereals will exploit soil water reserves
more effectively than shallower rooting crops such as vegetable crops
and therefore can be grown in drier periods. Good cultivation practices
(e.g. not ploughing too deep or when thesoil is wet) that result in a soft,
friable soil will also promote deep rooting and efficient use of soil water
reserves.

· Take measures to avoid run-off:

Run off is where water is not absorbed by thesoil but runs across the
surface away from where thecrop can use it. Structures such as contour
schemes, terracing, pits and bunds can reduce run-off. Run off is more
likely to occur on silty or clay soils where thesurface has been subjected
to intense rainfall then baked in thesun to form a crust or cap. Adding
mulch to break up theintensity of rainfall, or adding manure, compost
or incorporating green manure residues will reduce the tendency of the
soil to form a crust.

· Plan your irrigation:

Irrigation is one way of supplementing water from rainfall and soil

reserves, but can waste large amounts of water if not use carefully. A
key way of making themost of thewater supply is to only irrigate when
necessary. If water is scarce, irrigation should be restricted to themost
critical periods such as germination and fruit set. Drip irrigation makes
much better use of water than overhead systems as it is targeted to
theroots rather than sprayed up into theair.

A technique that is successful in one area may not be in another. It is

important that these techniques are locally adapted and developed to
suit specific conditions.

Analysis:

Context: Recent incident of severe drinking water crisis in Shimla

highlights the need for efficient water management practices in India.
Fast Facts: Water Resources and Demand

Average Annual rainfall: 1160mm. However, wide range between 100

mm in desert areas of Rajasthan to 10000 mm in Cherapunji.

Parameter Unit (Billion Cubic Meter/Year)

Total available water 1869

Usable water 1123

Surface water 690

Ground water 433

Per capita water availability: 1545 m3/year as of 2011; Expected to

reduce to 1140 m3/year in 2050

Note: Per capita water availability varies across river basins Water
Demand: 712 BCM According to Water in India: Situation and Prospects
(UNICEF, 2013) the demand for water in India is expected to rise
drastically to about 833 billion cubic metres (BCM) in 2025 and 899
BCM in 2050. Water Stress and pollution:

54% of India’s total area faces high to extreme water stress

More than 100 million people live in poor water quality areas.

According to the UN World Water Development Report, 2018, water

scarcity in India will intensify by 2050

Ground water resources will face greater pressure in north India

South and central India will experience high levels of risk from poor
water quality in its river basins

Case Study: Bengaluru

According to a statement issued by the Centre for Science and

Environment (CSE) Bengaluru is among the 10 cities in the world that
might be on the verge of imminent acute water crisis just as the one
faced by Cape Town in South Africa

The number of water bodies in Bengaluru has reduced by 79 per cent

due to unplanned urbanisation and encroachment -- while built-up area
has increased from eight per cent in 1973 to 77% at present

the water table in Bengaluru has shrunk from 10-12 m to 76-91 m in

just two decades while the number of extraction wells has gone up
from 5,000 to 0.45 million in 30 years

Other cities

Currently, Cape Town is facing acute water crisis. It has narrowly

avoided Day Zero- The day the city is expected to completely run out of
water
Other cities facing similar situation include Beijing (China), Mexico City
(Mexico), Nairobi (Kenya), Karachi (Pakistan), Kabul (Afghanistan) and
Istanbul (Turkey)

Major Issues/ Challenges

Spatial and temporal variation in water availability, recurring droughts

and frequent floods. Increased vulnerability due to climate change

Demand and supply: Rising population, increasing water demand and

falling per capita availability

Over exploitation and depletion of ground water resources:

Water table in India declining every year by 0.4 m

Indiscriminate extraction of groundwater; inefficient irrigation practices;

rapid urbanization are major causes

Faulty cropping pattern has led to water wastage and consequent stress
on water resources

Salt water intrusion in coastal areas where aquifers are highly depleted

Poor water quality:

The major reasons for contamination of water are: sewage and

wastewater drainage into water bodies, release of chemicals and
effluents into rivers, streams and other surface water bodies.

Unequal Access to water:

Access to water resources is governed by power relations in the society

with the poor often being differentially excluded

Access to safe water in rural areas is a major concern

Poor Storage:

Poor storage infrastructure allows India to store only 6 per cent of

rainwater, compared to 250 per cent stored by developed nations.

Poor planning and infrastructure:

The problem of urban water supply is due to poor and leaky distribution
networks leading to large amounts of “unaccounted water.”

Impact:

Economy:

Adverse effect on agriculture, on energy production, on industries and

business

On women:

As primary stakeholders in water resource management, women largely

affected- women’s health, both mental and physical

Across India, it is estimated that women spend 150 million work days
every year fetching and carrying water

Health:

Shortage of water is a major obstacle to public health and development.

The World Bank estimates that 21% of communicable diseases in India

are linked to unsafe water and the lack of hygiene practices.

Disputes:

Increasing inter-state water disputes/ conflicts. Example: Cauvery Water

Dispute primarily between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Mahanadi water
dispute between Odhisa and Chhattisgarh

Adverse effect on biodiversity

Committees and Recommendations:

Standing Committee on Water Resources, 2015:

Major recommendations:

Assessment of ground water resources to be done on a regular basis

Assessment of agricultural land falling under dark blocks (over-exploited

assessment units) to determine suitable cropping pattern in these water
stressed areas

Adoption of on-farm water management techniques and improved

irrigation methods

Implementation of ‘Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Ground

Water’

Agricultural power pricing

Bring water under the concurrent list

Mihir Shah Committee, 2016

Major recommendations:

Urgent revamp of the current water management system. Change in

both surface water as well as ground water management policies; view
groundwater and surface water in an integrated, holistic manner

Restructure of Central Water Commission and Central Ground Water

Board and Constitute National Water Commission (NWC) to deal water
policy, data and governance

Adopt the participatory approach to water management

In 2017, Rajiv Kumar Committee was constituted for Water

Management in North East

The Committee will facilitate in evolving a strategy for water

management in the form of hydropower, farming, water transport, eco
tourism, mitigating flood damage and biodiversity conservation

Policy/ Initiatives: National Water Policy

First National Water Policy adopted in 1987

Draft National Water Policy introduced in 2012

Aim: to govern the planning and development of waterresources and

their optimum utilization

National Water Mission (under National Action Plan on Climate Change)

Objectives:

Conservation of water,

Minimize wastage of water

Ensure more equitable distribution of water (inter-state and intra-state)

Increase water use efficiency by 20%

Promotion of basin level integrated water resources management

National Project on Aquifer Management:

Aim : to map and manage all aquifer systems in India

Atal Bhujal Yojna:

Aim: to recharge ground water sources and ensure efficient use of

water by involving people at local level.

National River Linking Project:

Interlinking project aims to address the issue of uneven distribution

water but has proved to be contentious between the government and
civil society groups

Ecological sustainability and affordability of diverting water to deficit

regions from surplus regions put constraints on its implementation.

Draft National Water Framework Bill, 2016 Key Proposals:

Recognizing right to water for life

Graded pricing system for domestic water supply

Proposes comprehensive governance structure

National water quality and footprint standards

Rejuvenation of river systems: by ensuring Aviral Dhara (continuous

flow) and Nirmal Dhara (unpolluted flow) and Swachh Kinara (clean
river banks). Proposes basin Level development of rivers

Establishment of River Basin Authority for each Inter-state river basin.

Model Bill for Conservation, Protection and Regulation of Groundwater,

2016 Key proposals:

Move groundwater from Easements Act as a private property resource

to a Common Pool Resource.
demarcation of ‘groundwater protection zones’

development of a groundwater security plan

Best Practice: Israel

Holistic water management system, innovative water technologies

Key features: drilling deep wells, massive desalination, reusing treated

sewage for farming, detecting and fixing leaks early, engineering crops
to thrive in challenging conditions, discouraging gardening, making
efficient toilets mandatory, and pricing water to discourage waste.

In 2017, India and Israel had signed MoU for water conservation and
management

Way Forward:

Use of efficient irrigation practices: micro-irrigation practices like drip

and sprinklers. Micro irrigation processes help in achieving high
efficiency and reduces water use as in the conventional methods

Use of traditional water management practices-

Example:

Johads of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan: Community water

harvesting structures; store excess rainwater from the monsoon months
and allow it to slowly percolate into the groundwater during the dry
season

Ahar Pyne of Bihar: floodwater harvesting system; the technique

comprises of a channel (locally named as pyne) which diverts water
from rivers to a tank (ahar) from where it is distributed to the fields.
Zabo system of Nagaland: Means “impounding runoff water” in
Chakhesang dialect. Involves catching and channelizing rainwater
running off the mountains.

Increasing water storage capacity, rainwater Harvesting in both urban

and rural areas, farm ponds, percolation tanks etc; Decentralised water
storage

Sustained measures to prevent pollution of water bodies,

contamination of groundwater and ensure proper treatment of
domestic and industrial waste water: regulating industrial clusters,
bioremediation

Reducing water consumption for agriculture, industry and households

by securing water efficiency and reuse of water (efficient waste water
treatment).

Robust groundwater management :Comprehensive mapping of aquifers

and monitoring groundwater quality

Adopting technology based solutions to reduce leakages during water

supply

The UN World Water Development Report 2018 stresses nature-based

solutions (NBS) to sustainably and economically manage water
resources. Examples: Restoring forests, grasslands and natural wetlands,
reconnecting rivers to floodplains, creating buffers of vegetation along
water courses

Water management reforms; Effective water governance

Desalination to cope with fresh water shortage

Community participation in water conservation efforts