SustainableWater conservation

ICRISAT, Patancheru, Hyderabad. AP

*MURLI.SHARMA@CGIAR.ORG.

MM Sharma*A VaniVengala Reddy

Hundreds and thousands tanks, Did not appear from ‘no where’ !

Behind them were ‘ a few’, who got them made, and ‘many more’ who made them !!

These, ‘a few’ and ‘many more’ joined To make ‘hundreds and thousands’ tanks !!!

And this system remained sustainable for centuries !!!!

But then in the past two centuries, A few of ‘a bit educated’ in the society, Turned this system of ‘a few’, ‘many more’, ‘hundreds’ and ‘thousands’, a big zero !!!!!

This is the ‘watered’ tragedy of our Scientific triumph In the past two centuries !!!!!!

!!!!!!! Water oh dear water !!!!!!

Gadsisar

Rainwater at Gadsisar

Population growth

Sentencing millions to Hydrological PovertySentencing millions to Hydrological Poverty

2050 Projections:Additional:India 520 m peopleChina 210 m peoplePakistan 200 m people Philippines 130 m

Water Scarcity

In both quantitative and qualitative manifestation is a major development challenge in developing countries

In many countries

The physical limits to fresh water availability is a key concern

In the expanding

Urban settlements

Industrial sector and

Commercial agriculture

Water quantity is major concern

During flood situations considering

Serious economic

Ecological and

Welfare consequences

Water crisis is to be viewed in a much broader sense than scarcity issue

Water Crisis is due to

Inefficient use and

Poor management

Rather than any physical limits or supply augmentation

Water crisis-mismatch in demand and supply?

But this is much more

It is pervasive gaps in economic and institutional dimension of

Water Resource Development

Allocation

Use and

Management

Water is most abundant resource

• 97.5% is too salty for human consumption

• Remaining 35 m cu km/year fresh water is not fully accessible

• It is locked in ice in Arctic and Antarctic or deep underground

Physically accessible freshwater potential

• Only 90000 cu km /year• = 0.26 % of global fresh water• 2/3 of this water – called green

water evaporates to atmosphere

Green Water

• Provides indirect and indispensable ecological benefit

• Sustains life support systems of ecosystems

• Also sustains livelihood needs of people dependent on rain-fed agriculture

Remaining 1/3 of fresh water called Blue water

Not accessible due to :

*Economic, technological and environmental limits

*Spatial and Temporal mismatch

e.g. Brazil: Fraction of global population, 1/5 of global water. India and China, 1/3 of population and 1/10 of global water.

Desalinization and recycling

• Costly• Desalinization: only 18 m cu m/day,• But also contributes to heap of salts

accumulated• Water reuse and recycling: not more

than 2% of total water demand

Improving water use is promising

• 10% improvement in water use efficiency can add 15 million ha land to irrigation

• In terms of Food Grain this could be 75 to 100 million tones

• Modern irrigation tech. Can increase WUE by up to 95% and saving of 50% water

Global Population

• Since 1950, has increased to over 7.5 billion• Expected by 2100: 12 billion• Present global urban population 43%• Expected by 2025 to be 61%, i.e. 5 billion

Irrigation accounts for ¾ of total water use

• 1900-2000: Expanded from 50 to 250 m ha• Expected by 2020: 296 m ha

Expansion in irrigation, drinking and industrial use

• 1900-2013: 500 to 5000 cu km/year• Increase: 10 times !

Telltale symptoms of water scarcity

• In 80 countries with 40 % world population• 55 of these in Asia and Africa can’t meet basic water need• 2.2 billion people don’t have access to clean water• 2.7 billion people don’t have access to sanitation

Water challenge has

• Economic• Institutional and • Policy dimensions

How serious?

Too serious to be left only to • Government• Bureaucracy and• Technocrats

We all need to help ourselves and “the national system”

How?

• By suitable rainwater management for potable water:

• In urban house holds• In rural areas; and• By Watershed based Farming Systems

in dry-land agriculture

City of Hyderabad

• 425 year old

• Piped water supply system introduced- 1910, for 0.5 million population

• Capacity installed initially: for 1 million population

• Present population: between 7.5 million

• Increase in 103 years: 15 folds

This city is thirsty

• Like many other cities in India• Hyderabad has serious water problem• Water has become limiting for domestic,

agriculture and industrial use• Our expectations from Government are

very high

Essential to understand

• Water is a precious natural resource and can’t be created

Limitation of Government

No magic wandDeveloping dependable sources is-

• Technically difficult• Time consuming• Expensive• Often not environmentally sound• Often not efficient

Issue at hand

The problem of guaranteeing sufficient quantity of water is too serious to be left to the Government alone

The role of public

• Step forward to help manage water• Create awareness for its proper use• Why?• Because the ‘blame game’ will not

help solve the problem

Present status

• Protected water supply meets only 40% requirements

• Water in most colonies is supplied alternate or third day, for one hour only

• Remainder is met by ground water: by dug wells and bore wells

Ground water status

• Most dug wells have dried in the past 10 years, except low areas

• Bore wells in residential areas are at 30-60 feet distance

• Recharge is poor• Excess drawing is obvious• Average bore well depth 10 years back:

less than 100 ft• Present average bore well depth: over 700 ft

Deep bore wells

• Unlikely to yield sufficient water to a family• Water quality is poor• Expensive to drill• Requires more electrical power• Water lost to ‘dry faults’ is not accessible to none

Urban Rainwater Conservation At Hyderabad:

A Test–Case since 1995, in Hyderabad, India Collection of Rainwater from roof in an underground tank.

Test case: our house

• We decided to meet part of our requirement by rain water conservation from roof

• Location: in Sainikpuri area of Secunderabad

Our attempt

• Traditional technology with a modern twist

• To develop an optimum system of rainwater conservation in the living dwelling

Concept:

1. Rainwater directed to one corner of roof2. Collection in an underground tank3. Pumped to an overhead tank4. Utilized in kitchen, toilets and for other

household needs5. Used water directed to soak pit to enrich

ground water table

Input required for computing

• Standard weekly rainfall data (mm)

• Roof area in sq. m

Equation

• Required- Roof area in sq. m and annual rainfall (mm)• 1mm rain, on 1 sq. m roof, gives 1 lit water • Normal annual rainfall in Hyderabad: 800 mm• Our roof area: 160 sq. m

Rainwater from your roof

a. 1 mm rain; on 1 sq. m roof; gives 1 lit water

b. This means that if you know roof area (length x width) in sq. m

It is possible to calculate total quantity of water from your roof

Eg. For 150 sq. m roof in Hyderabad, total rain water on the roof in a year will be 150 x 800 = 120000 lit

Quantity of water

• 160 sq. m roof *800 mm rains = 125000 lit water• What is the optimum size of tank required?• Need some computing be done.• Why?• Because all rain water does not come on one day• Also we draw water from tank everyday

Optimum tank size computing

• “Rainwater” year at Hyderabad begins Standard week 22.

• Optimum tank size for the house: 55000 lit.• Tank capacity constructed 100000 lit• Thumb rule for optimum tank size:

40-50% of annual water received on roof

RainwaterRainwaterWeekly RainwaterCumulativeCumulative WaterNormal on AdditionWithdrawl Balance

Standard Rainfall Roof in Tank from Tank in TankS.No Month Week No. mm. mm. lit. lit. lit

1 5-6 22 8.3 1328 1328 0 13282 6 23 17.1 2736 4064 2450 16143 6 24 18.8 3008 7072 4900 21724 6 25 32.1 5136 12208 7350 4858

Total Rainwater on the roof : 125280 litMaximum water in the tank at any time: 54806 litOptimum size of underground tank: 60000 lit

File: Rainwater conservation from RoofConsider "Rainwater Year" at Hyderabad beginning with Standard week no 22

Normal annual rainfall at Hyderabad: 783 mmRoof area of the house: 160 sq.m.

Computing of water conservation

Rainwater collection system

• Water from roof comes down by a PVC pipe• Filtering by vertical mesh filters• Enter underground tank by a PVC pipe• Tank walls made of stones, cement at joints• Tank floor cement mortar

House Plan

Water level at the end of summer

0.5 hp pump used to fill over-head tank

No chemical treatment for water

Used rainwater for drinking, cooking, bath and washing clothes since 1997.

Only 50% detergent powder needed for washing

Manage judiciously to last for the whole year

Practice followed:

Economic ConsiderationsCost of construction: 41000

1. Savings during 1995-02: 500002. Savings during 2003-07: 750003. Savings on electricity( 2003-07): 528004. Total savings 1995-07: 177800Present Savings5. Annual savings:5a. By water: 150005b. By electricity: 96005c. Deduct interest on investment: 49005d. Net savings: 19700/year

Potable Rainwater Conservation System

Salient features:

1. High quality crystal clear water

2. No chemical treatment

3. Minor maintenance, no running cost

4. Easy in design and construction

5. Sustainable and eco-friendly

Water Conservation at ICRISAT Farm

Watershed based Farming Systems

The Resilient Technology for next Green Revolution from Dry-land Agriculture

Integrated Watershed Management:An opportunity for resource poor environments

Green revolution areas are showing yield increase fatigue

Systems are not sustainable Green revolution bypassed large grey areas

Dr. SP Wani

Very High Quality Rain Water Conservation System

ICRISAT Glass House Complex

Rainwater at ICRISAT farm

a. Area of the farm 1400 ha

b. 1 ha = 10000 sq. m

c. Total farm area in sq. m = 1400x10000=14000000

d. Average annual rainfall = 800 mm

e. 14000000x800=11200000000 lit = Eleven Thousands two hundred million lit.

Expansion of Dryland Technology in Farmers Fields

Kothapally Village Watershed

One of the best example of

Research FOR Development

Groundwater recharging

Decreased runoff and soil losses

Reduction of droughts

Adarsh Watershed, Kothapally, India:Benefits to the Community

Increased water levels in the wells

Increased cropping intensity

Conclusion: Cultivating Peace

Peace can be cultivated in drought-prone areas by a Grey to Green Revolution

A paradigm shift is needed to reduce poverty through integrated natural resource management

Integrated watershed management will result to the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources

Peace can be cultivated in drought-prone areas by a Grey to Green Revolution

A paradigm shift is needed to reduce poverty through integrated natural resource management

Integrated watershed management will result to the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources

“ History has taught us that wars produce hunger, but we are now aware that mass poverty, water poverty and hunger can lead to war, violence and political instability ”

Dr. WD Dar

Choice:

Water quality and quantity affect our livingIf we manage water well we live happy “life”If not, we only “survive”We need to choose oneLet us choose “life” rather than “survival”

Core issues for sustainable India in next 50 YearsIn our vision

• Water Conservation• Dry-land Agriculture• Environmental Conservation• Population growthWill determine sustenance of our

country and the world

Fifty years from now………• My time on this earth would be done• But the trees and the flowers• The birds and the butterflies • The land and the water • And the industries for growth• On this planet, our mother earth would go on …And so will be 10 billion, more demanding people,

for food and water. Let us do our bit for all that is possible• And now I stop with many wishes,

congratulations for your efforts and interest and much gratitude

Acknowledgement• I am grateful to Dr. SP Wani, Dr. P Pathak, Dr. RC Sachan • Mr R Sudi, Mr R Jangawad for their consistent help in my

work on rainwater conservation.• Our DG, Dr. WD Dar has always been encouraging this

work.

Thanks to Ms Vani for her beautiful poems which make this issue very emotional and close to heart for me.

and

Mr Vengala Reddy has always given shape to my ideas by his work.

M M Sharma

Mailing Address:

ICRISAT, Patancheru P O, 502324 Tel Office: +91 040 30713170 +91 098490 21472

Residence Address: 19 Hastinapuri colony, Near Sainikpuri P.O. Secunderabad 500094.Tel Resi. +91 040-55172220E-mail: MURLI.SHARMA@CGIAR.ORG

Thanks

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