India’s Water Crisis: Here are 3 Simple Ways to Save Water
In our last post, we discussed India’s water crisis and some of the factors contributing to it. We discussed the non-existent water-saving attitude. We also discussed the water crisis faced by Chennai and the possibility of a similar one in Bengaluru.
This post focuses on a move by the Tamil Nadu government which could have prevented Chennai’s water crisis. We will also discuss a few recommendations from our team on the subject matter. These recommendations are more focused on reducing water wastage and steps on an individual basis. If you have more ideas, feel free to comment!
Tamil Nadu Government on Water Harvesting
In the year 2003, J. Jayalalithaa, the late Chief Minister made a milestone mandate on harvesting rainwater in Tamil Nadu. This came after long dry periods in 2001 – 2003. It was ordered that all buildings of any kind in Tamil Nadu must have harvesting structures to store water. It even allowed two months for such structures to be fitted. August 31 was set as the deadline.
At that time, many agreed that the Chief Minister’s idea would put a conclusion to Chennai’s water burdens. However, after 16 years, the city indeed starves for water. Water stores are plunging and the groundwater has evaporated. The reason? Causes are too many, to be completely honest. However, the terrible execution of the Rainwater Harvesting guideline tops the list according to specialists.
Chennai gets 2/3 of its water from North East Monsoon and one-third from the South West storms. So it is only logical that if not a majority, at least half of the water requirement could have been fulfilled if the guidelines had been executed. And so, once again, a move that could have made lives easy for millions failed. It wouldn’t be fair to blame just the government or just the people. The government failed to fulfill to follow through on promises and the people failed to take action where it was theirs to take. This was the collective failure of the community.
During the years of 2015 – 2017, the city saw great downpours. 2015, in fact, saw the highest rainfall recorded since the North-East storms of 1918. In 2016 – 2017 as well, the city witnessed over 100 cms of precipitation in the monsoon. These statistics have been quoted to show that the city has failed over and over again in learning from our past. News headlines during 2017 actually read ” No lessons learnt from 2015 floods: 24-hour rain brings Chennai to its knees.“
A 2019 Reawakening in Light of Chennai’s Water Crisis
The crisis from June 2019 seems to have reawakened the government of Tamil Nadu. The order from 2003 has been brought up again, with a 3 months deadline this time. Both public and private, government and instructive foundations and structures have been asked to put up state-endorsed harvesting frameworks for rainwater. The citizens who don’t go along will be issued a notice and will be subject to repercussions. This has been indicated by Municipality of the state and minister SP Velumani.
This decision has been brought after a review led by the government. This review revealed that nearly 5 lakh buildings/ offices/ institutes did not have water collecting frameworks set up. 14 civil organizations and 121 districts in the state were studied in express detail. The numbers were discharged at a question and answer session on by the government.
What Can We Do?
Having seen the last few years, it’s become clear that the world is now in the 11th hour of this tragedy. In India, the endless population means that it is past even the 11th hour. But I’m still optimistic. Better late than never, right? Yes, the situation is quite dire, but there are still some things we can do.
I have no doubts that some of these measures will seem extreme to many. But the fact is that this situation is extreme. This is a crisis, a water crisis. All change seems extreme at first, all solutions seem difficult. But sometimes, we need to make tough decisions. This, ladies and gentlemen, is one of those times.
India’s urban poor pay more for water than the remainder of the population. Take the instance of Bangalore. The large part of the city, especially the economically weaker, procure water via tankers and casual vendors. A water tanker can cost over Rs. 50 per liter. A lot more purchase water by the pot or the container, where they may pay a rupee or two for twenty kilolitres.
Water is significantly less expensive in most urban areas, quite often completely free of cost. These supplies are most often not regulated or metered by any means. Yet, the water tankers and other sources remain just as costly.
The individuals who are actually affected by this water crisis are the ones who can’t really afford to pay for this water. And I’m not talking about just drinking water; water for day to day use also has to be purchased! In the more financially secure houses, water for non-drinking purposes remains free.
Water has been declared as a fundamental right by the United Nations. Further, the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India has also identified that the right to safe and sufficient water is a part of Right to Life enshrined in the Indian Constitution. So why is it that some people pay exorbitantly for this resource while others don’t?
When a crisis situation presents itself, the economically affluent often step in to offer aid by donating money. In no way am I saying that this is not a positive gesture. But here are some more things that can be done. A few lifestyle adjustments for the affluent can lead the way to a new lifestyle for the rest.
1. Water in restaurants
When you walk into a restaurant for a meal, consider not wasting the water they serve. Whether paid or complimentary, take just the amount you need. A glass of water you waste is a glass of water that a water parched throat has to survive on over the course of the day. When we pay for the water we use, we reduce the cost that another person has to pay. Think about that the next time you ask for complimentary water.
2. The open tap at your sink
Be it your kitchen sink or the bathrooms, pen taps are the biggest aids of the water crisis. Painfully large amounts of water are squandered during dish-washing. It’s normal to scold the maid for breaking your expensive cutlery. So why not gently remind her to shut off the tap when she’s soaping up the dishes. A tap in full flow puts one whole liter down the drain in barely 5 seconds. A liter of what is the daily water intake of an adult in water-starved locations. A little advance here can make a critical sparing in water utilization.
3. Water treatment plants
We harass residential society association members for pools, game-rooms, and parking spots. So why not bring up wastewater treatment and reusing for non-drinking purposes at the next association meeting? Around 80 percent of the water that arrives at family units, leaves as waste and contaminates our water bodies and condition. There is enormous potential in reusing and reusing this treated wastewater at any rate for non-consumable purposes, which is savvy. Agreed that the initial costs of setting up the mechanism would pinch, but within a few years, the technology will make up for the money.
Conclusion
It’s easy to turn a blind eye to a problem that’s not affecting your daily life. But what if you could stop it before it did? Are some comforts not worth sharing?
