Thirsting for Change: Tackling India’s Water Crisis with Innovative Solutions
Water Crisis:- In a country surrounded by water on three sides and which boasts of some uniquely magnificent water bodies, it is easy to feel overconfident that you would never face the situation of water scarcity! Or at least that is what most people who have not seen research figures or haven’t experienced a severe crunch themselves like to believe. After all, a woman walking miles on parched land to fetch a pot of water is an image that people prefer to relate to only a certain part of the country. But the truth is far beyond this!
Water Crisis :The threat of El Niño weather pattern-
As India slowly inches towards transitioning into the El Niño weather pattern which in simplified form refers to an abnormal warming of surface waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, this will lead to reduced rainfall during the southwest monsoon season, impacting agriculture and water resources. This will also cause drought conditions, affecting crop yields, livestock, and food production.
Here are some very relevant updates from around the country-
- Maharashtra is experiencing a water crisis of extraordinary proportions. Depletion of water in reservoirs and dams has set alarming bells across the state. Pune recently announced the weekly water cuts due to delayed monsoons.
- Delhi’s water shortage is also taking a bitter turn with around two crore residents of the capital in need of approximately 1,300 MGD of water for drinking and daily needs. But the Delhi Jal Board can supply only around 1,000 MGD, leaving many areas grappling with a shortage.
- At least sixteen districts – that’s more than half of Karnataka – are facing a drinking water problem with the government instructing officials to prepare a contingency plan and brace for a “drought-like” situation. Rainfall deficit across the state has been recognized as the major cause contributing to the same.
- With an acutely deficient monsoon in June so far, Goa could be looking at a drinking water crisis if the rainfall doesn’t pick up soon.
While the above-mentioned data looks dreadful and straight out of a nightmare, if you look closer to home, you will observe that we all have been in situations where a delayed water supply or a water cut has left us grappling with sleepless nights. Now, imagine if this scenario continues for endless days…. Well, no one wants to imagine that! So, the most relevant question to ask ourselves is what could we do to avoid such a situation?
A few steps that government can take to manage water scarcity are-
• Pre-planned strategies by the government-
A proactive approach by the Government is the need of the hour. One doesn’t have to wait for the drought to fight against it. A water shortage response plan should be prepared by the Governments at the state level to overcome any unforeseen contingency.
• Formulation of Special Yojnas–
One of the best examples of bringing behavioural change in people towards adopting healthy sanitation practices is the introduction of the Swachh Bharat Mission. The cause of water catastrophe in the country also demands the adoption of similar programs that can be launched at the household level. As per a release by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, a nationwide campaign called Jal Shakti Abhiyan was introduced with people’s active participation in 2021. Even though it managed to increase awareness about the worth of water among the people, it still didn’t manage to change the habits and practices of people in everyday life.
• Providing tangible resources–
Though the main focus of the Government under the National Water Mission is to conserve water, minimize wastage and ensure its more equitable distribution both across and within states through integrated water resource development and management, the need of the hour is to work at a more microscopic level and provide households with tangible resources like water storage tanks (just like the free dustbins distributed under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan) to avoid wastage of the available water.
• Occasional inspection for strict adherence–
When a situation turns into a catastrophe, it asks for stringent measures. Occasional visits to households by a water inspector to check for any possible wastage of water and to persuade for corrective measures are what we need now to sail through this crisis.
Possible steps that can be taken at the Household level-
• Avoid wastage-
The easiest way to conserve water is to stop wastage. A shorter shower, turning off the water while shaving or brushing teeth or washing hands for that matter should be adopted and promoted to avoid mindless wastage of water.
• Fixing leaks-
Dripping taps isn’t an unfamiliar sight in our households. Even a small drip can waste 50 or more gallons of water a day. So, it is important to check for leaking pipes and faucets and to get them fixed on a priority basis.
• Running appliances for full loads only–
Your automatic washer uses 30 to 35 gallons per cycle. Act smartly and use these gadgets only when they are sufficiently full to save water and money.
• Identifying areas of wastage–
There are several instances of thoughtless wastage of water in every household, for example, the water dripping from Air Conditioners, the water discarded during the use of RO. When used more mindfully, gallons of this non-potable water can be saved and utilized for everyday household chores leading to water conservation.
• Reusing water–
Re-utilising water used for washing vegetables, cooking pasta or discarded ice can easily be brought to use for different household chores like watering plants, cleaning sinks etc, thereby increasing the life of the water before it leaves the house through the drains.
• Installing water-saving devices–
It is pertinent to make smart choices and invest in products that lead to the preservation of water. Investing in water-saving tanks like AquaSave is a convenient way to utilize the rejected water through ROs and ACs and use the same in numerous other ways. Along with being a simple and sustainable method of storing wastewater which can later be used to wash bathrooms, and cars or to simply wash hands, AquaSave will undeniably bring you the satisfaction of doing your bit and making every drop count.
To conclude, the choices you make today will determine what comes ahead of you. You could either make responsible decisions in the present and invest in products that make your future better or shell out a fortune in the coming times for the same water that you so carelessly wasted today. The choice is yours!
