Sustainable Water Resources in India

An Environmental Science &

Biology Presentation On :-

“SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES IN INDIA”

What is

Sustainability? THE DALY RULES FOR SUSTAINABILITY -

“Sustainable development is development

that meets the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of future

generations to meet their own needs.”

- Brundtland Commission (1983)

(1) Renewable resources such as fish, soil, and groundwater must be used no faster than the rate at which they regenerate.

(2) Nonrenewable resources such as minerals and fossil fuels must be used no faster than renewable substitutes for them can be put into place.

(3) Pollution and wastes must be emitted no faster than natural systems can absorb them, recycle them, or render them harmless.

By - Herman E. Daly (Prof. University of Maryland School of Public Policy)

Use of Renewable Resources ‘VS’

The Rate of Renewal

Consumption of renewable resources

State of Environment Sustainability

More than nature's ability to replenish

Environmental Degradation

Not Sustainable

Equal to nature's ability to replenish

Environmental Equilibrium Steady-State Sustainability

Less than nature's ability to replenish

Environmental Renewal Sustainable Development

Why Sustainability in Water Resources ?

Water is life. Water sustainability is one of the greatest challenges facing the country of India. The urgent need for a clean, reliable water supply is complicated by a burgeoning population, agricultural demands, unreliable energy, and the monsoon system, which subjects the country to devastating floods during three months of the year and droughts during others.

Growing pressure on water resources – from population and economic growth, climate change, pollution, and other challenges – has major impacts on our social, economic, and environmental well-being. Many of our most important aquifers are being over-pumped, causing widespread declines in groundwater levels. About 80% of India's fresh water is used for agriculture.

According to the WorldWatch Institute, “In India, the demand for water in urban areas is expected to double and industrial demand to triple by 2025.

According to a 2012 source, a staggering 70% of the available water in India is polluted. Hence, we require techniques and policies to ensure the sustainability of water for future generations.

THE INDIAN

SCENARIO

India has a territory of 328 million

hectares, which receives an average

annual rainfall of 120cm, this is among

the highest for a comparable

geographical area in the world.

The water resources of the nation are

enormous but unevenly distributed in

several terms : seasonally, regionally,

basin wide, cultivator class-wise, and

crop-wise. Due to lack of national water

resources budgeting and planning,

famine in the vast tracts of southern and

western peninsula ravages the lives of

farmers.

SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES

Surface Water

Surface freshwater is unfortunately limited and unequally distributed in the world.

Structures such as dams may be used to impound water for consumption. If properly

designed and constructed, dams can help provide a sustainable water supply.

Groundwater

Groundwater accounts for greater than 50% of global freshwater. Groundwater can be a sustainable water supply source if the total amount of water entering, leaving, and being stored in the system is conserved.


Rainwater Harvesting Desalinization

Collecting water from precipitation is one of the most sustainable sources of water supply since it has

inherent barriers to the risk of over-exploitation found in surface and groundwater sources, and directly

provides drinking water quality.

Desalinization has the potential to provide an adequate water quantity to those regions that are

freshwater poor, including small island states. However, the energy demands of reverse osmosis, a

widely-used procedure used to remove salt from water, are a challenge to the adaptation of this

technology as a sustainable one.


Reclaimed Water

Reclaimed water, or water recycled from human use, can also be a sustainable source of water

supply. It is an important solution to reduce stress on primary water resources such as surface and

groundwater.

Bottled Water

Bottled water is a 21st century phenomenon whereby mostly private companies provide potable water in a bottle for a cost. When sustainability metrics are used to access bottled water, it falls short in many

situations of being a sustainable water supply.

INDIA : DEPLETING WATER RESOURCES (A STUDY BY NASA)

The study, led by Matthew Rodell of the United States' NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland,

indicated that groundwater across a swath of India from New Delhi into heavily farmed agricultural belts

dropped at an average rate of 1.6 inches per year between August 2002 and October 2008. That

decrease in groundwater is more than double the capacity of India's largest reservoir.

"The region has become dependent on irrigation to maximize agricultural productivity," Rodell said in a

statement. "If measures are not taken to ensure sustainable groundwater usage, the consequences for

the 114 million residents of the region may include a collapse of agricultural output and severe shortages

of potable water.“

The study noted that the drop in groundwater came in years where there was no shortage of rainfall to

cause a natural decline.

The region, though, has seen an enormous increase in water use since the 1960s. Part of that is because

of the growing population, though even more resulted from the so-called Green Revolution, which

dramatically increased India's agricultural production.

“SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IS PARAMOUNT”

Sustainable Water Resource

Management (SWAR)

THE SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

(SWAR), A PROJECT RUN BY THE STOCKHOLM

INTERNATIONAL WATER INSTITUTE (SIWI) THEIR GOAL

IS TO IMPROVE THE WATER MANAGEMENT IN THE

TEXTILE PRODUCTION WHILE ALSO DECREASING THE

AMOUNT OF CHEMICALS AND ENERGY THAT IS USED.

THERE IS ALSO TRAINING OF BOTH MANAGEMENT

AND WORKERS SO THAT THEY CAN WORK

CONTINUOUSLY WITH THESE ISSUES. SWAR

INCLUDES AWARENESS SESSIONS AND WORKSHOPS,

AND ALSO HANDS-ON TECHNICAL WORK IN THE

FACTORIES. OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESOURCE SAVING

AND OPTIMIZATION ARE IDENTIFIED AND FIXED, AND

THE EFFICIENCY OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS

IMPROVED.

WHAT MAKES SWAR SOMEWHAT UNIQUE IS THE FACT

THAT THE PROJECT NOT ONLY ENGAGES SUPPLIERS

BUT ALSO SUB-SUPPLIERS. FOR MANY OF THE

COMPETING DYE-HOUSES, THIS HAS BEEN THE FIRST

TIME THAT THEY SAT DOWN AT THE SAME TABLE.

“The textile industry is the number one

industrial polluter of water on the planet. Now

Swedish clothing brands Indiska, KappAhl and

Lindex have joined forces to help their

suppliers become more eco-friendly. Currently

implemented in Delhi (NCR) and Jaipur in

India.”

“The Ministry of Water Resources is responsible

for laying down policy guidelines and programs for the development and regulation of country's

water resources”

Organizations –

Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) A multidisciplinary scientific organization with a mandate to " Develop and disseminate technologies and monitor and implement national policies for the scientific and sustainable development and management of India's ground water resources, including their exploration, assessment, conservation, augmentation, protection from pollution, and distribution, based on principles of economic and ecological efficiency and equity.”

Central Water and Power Research Station Provides comprehensive R&D support to a variety of projects in the areas of water and energy resources development and water borne transport.

Central Water Commission A Premier Technical Organization in the country in the field of water resources and is charged with the general responsibilities of initiating, coordinating and furthering, in consultation with the State Governments concerned, schemes for control, conservation and utilization of water resources throughout the country, for purpose of Flood Control, Irrigation, Navigation, Drinking Water Supply and Water Power Development.

Water Quality Assessment Authority Water quality assessment and management is one of the most important aspects of water management. This has attained significant global importance over the years in view of growing concerns and awareness on environment and health related impacts.

Vision - Optimal sustainable

development, maintenance of

quality and efficient use of

water resources to match with

the growing demands on this

precious natural resource of

the country.

SOME GOVERNMENT WATER CONSERVATION POLICIES

The objective of National Water Mission is "conservation of water, minimizing wastage and ensuring its equitable distribution both across and within States through integrated water resources development and management".

Five goals identified in the National Water Mission are Comprehensive water data base in public domain and assessment of the impact of climate change on water resources; promotion of citizen and state actions for water conservation, augmentation and preservation; focused attention to vulnerable areas including over-exploited areas; increasing water use efficiency by 20%; and promotion of basin level integrated water resources management.

National Water Policy

Envisages to establish a standardized national

information system with a network of data banks

and data bases

Resource planning and recycling for providing

maximum availability

To give importance to the impact of projects

on human settlements and environment.

Guidelines for the safety of storage dams and

other water-related structures

Regulate exploitation of groundwater

Setting water allocation.

The water rates for surface water and ground

water should be rationalized with due regard to

the interests of small and marginal farmers.

National Water Mission

GENERAL MEASURES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN WATER RESOURCES

Proper implementation of water Act.

To control water pollution should be reduction in the use of chemicals fertilizers.

Plantation of trees is useful to store water resources.

Watershed management program should be organized systematically.

It is the duty of government to bring awareness among farmers regarding consumption of

water.

Water resources are to be purified and reused for consumption.

Construction of dams without creating environmental problems.

Interlinking of rivers is required to protect water resources.

The disputes of water resources among states and countries to be solved for equal and proper utilization of water resources.

-CONCLUSION-

Sustainable Water Resources are limited and scarce in our country. Policy implementation is more important than policy declaration. As ‘literate’ citizens of India, we must vow to harness these limited resources so that every person can be availed of drinking water.

“Sustainability is not just minimizing personal needs, its optimizing them for the future generations.”

TEAM MEMBERS –

DIVYANSH SHARMA

HARSHIT SANKHLA

JAGDISH PRASAD KUMAWAT

JAIPAL SUNGH DHAYAL

KRANTHI KUMAR REDDY

KAUSHAL KHETAN

KAVISH MEHTA

SIVA RAHUL BASAM