The reason Chennai faces chronic
water scarcity is that it has no rivers, it depends on the rain it captures in its lakes, ponds and
groundwater aquifers.
Water consumption in Chennai is perhaps the lowest among all large cities in India. During this year''s drought, Metro Water supplied an average of 35 litres per capita daily, though the supply should be 135. The government''s helplessness in Chennai is dramatic, though most Indian cities are fast reaching a similar state.
Chennai’s primary water
source used to be a network of tanks, ponds, and dugwells managed by local communities. Typically, several households shared each well.
Until recently, the city’s public water supply system depended on three reservoirs located to its northwest, but much of their water is lost due to evaporation. Later, the politicians became fixated with the idea of developing a river as the source of water - the closest being the river Krishna north of the city. And now, the focus is on expensive desalination plants.
Over the years, groundwater has become the major source of water. But the city’s falling water table has prompted exploitation of distant aquifers, adding to the costs. But this level of groundwater mining will at most last a few more years. Metro Water has bought from farmers the right to pump water. A majority of the farmers have small landholdings that do not earn them much money - they prefer to simply sell water from their borewells ! Irrigation enables almost 40 per cent of the water to seep back into the aquifer; now that water is being lost to quench the city’s thirst.
Contribution of Metro Water to the city’s water requirement is declining, the people have to make up for the deficit on their own from private tankers and bottled water. An exclusive survey found that income levels affect water use patterns.
- The rich consume more water.
-
Dependence on groundwater is increasing.
- Poor depend more on Metro Water.
- The dependence on bottled water is higher in rich households.
The water tanker has come to symbolise Chennai’s water crisis. With no water being supplied by Metro Water through the pipeline for nine months, the role of private tanker operators has become essential. Water sales are higher, what is required is an awareness of water quality.
The reality of Chennai’s dependence on rain and
rainwater harvesting is not fully appreciated. There are two aspects of rainwater harvesting - lakes in the open areas and rooftops in built up areas. The state government even issued an ordinance imposing a strict deadline for implementing rainwater harvesting in all buildings. However, legislation by itself will not make any difference; it needs to be enforced.
Temple tanks in Chennai have a sizable storage capacity and can make a significant difference. But most are dry and several are in a state of disrepair — broken sidewalls, water hyacinth infestation, silted tank beds.
Industry consume large quantities of groundwater and surface water. If Chennai collects and treats its sewage for non-potable and industrial uses, a sizeable chunk of its demand can be met. So is Chennai’s perennial water crisis a result of nature’s vagaries? Or gross mismanagement?
More abstracts about the Article: Emergency