WATERRegulation & Governance

John ThomasSr. Director

Weston Solutions (India) Pvt. Ltd.

About 700 million people in 43 countries live below the water-stress threshold of 1,700 cubic metres per person per year. In 20 years, 3 billion people will live in countries under that threshold. Source: Human Development Report 2006

15 cm

Mawsynram1187.2 cm

(39’)Wettest place

on earth

INDIA- Water Sector at a Glance

Source: Central Water Commission, Govt of India

Sl # Item Unit

1Estiimated Annual Precipitation (including snowfall) 4000 BCM

2 Geographical Area 328.73 Million Ha3 Population (projected as on 1.3.2005) 1097.1 Million4 Average Annual Potential in Rivers 1869 BCM

5Per capita Water Availability (estimated as on 1.3.2005) 1703.6 cu.m

6 Estimated utilizable water 1122 BCM(i) Surface 690 BCM(ii) Ground 432 BCM

7Per capita Utilizable water (estimated as on 1.3.2005) 1022.7 cu.m

8 Projected Water Demand (BCM) 2000 2025 2050i) Domestic 42 73 102ii) Irrigation 541 910 1072iii) Industry 8 23 63iv) Energy 2 15 130v) Others 41 72 80Total 634 1093 1447

Year

"India has 16% of the world's population, 2.5% of the land mass

and 4% of the world's water resources.”

425

“Over-exploited” where the stage of ground water development exceeds the annual replenish able limit

“Dark” where the stage of ground water development is more than 85%.

673

Assessment Units*• Over exploited: 673• Dark 425• Total 7928

(* Blocks; Taluka; Watershed)

Stage of GW Development

State wise level of Ground Water Development

>100% - Haryana (112.18%)

85 – 100% - Rajasthan (86.42%) & Punjab (97.66%)

65 – 85% - UT of Daman & Diu (70%).

Negligible – Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim & UT of Andaman and Nicobar.

Problems related to Groundwater Use

Three problems dominate groundwater usedepletion due to overdraft; waterlogging and salinization due mostly to inadequate drainage and insufficient conjunctive use; and pollution due to agricultural, industrial and other human activities

Most common symptom Secular decline in water tables.

Impacts of Groundwater Use

• Irrigation Source: Alternate for productive life for farmers with no access to irrigation commands.

• Impaired Regional Agricultural output: According to experts, a quarter of India’s harvest may well be at risk from groundwater depletion.

• Health problems - Groundwater contamination through pollution or over-draft

• Inter Sectoral Conflicts – Groundwater – the contentious bone between competing stakeholders (viz. industry, agriculture, domestic and drinking, rural and urban)

Impacts: Social, economic and political impacts.

Chemical Quality of Ground Water

D is p o sa l o fw a s tes , lea ch in g o fse w e r m a te ria ls ,e tc.

D o m es tic p o llu t ion

le a ch ing o fn u trie n ts

p e s tic id esfe rt ilise rs

A g ric u ltu ra l po llu t io n

D isp os a l o fe fflue n ts ins tre am s o r

la nd

In d us tria l p o llu tion

Arsenic

Fluoride

Iron

Nitrate

Salinity

G e og e n ic con tam ina tion

Q u a lity d e te rio ra t ion

1.TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS• REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, • RECLAIM – e.g. NEWater, Singapore • REMEDIATE / RESTORE: Impaired, contaminated Surface

& Groundwater sources– e.g. Houstanic River Restoration, USA

INVENT / INNOVATE•New industrial & agricultural processes/ technologies for efficient water use•New products, seeds that require lesser water

WAY AHEAD …………A Multi pronged Approach need to be adopted covering– SOCIO – ECONOMIC – TECHNICAL & POLITICAL aspects

Housatonic River Restoration

• $150-million, 5-year environmental restoration

• Established extensive system of temporary dams to divert river and remediate 95,000 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment

• TeamLink technology expedited communication

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsfield, MA U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsfield, MA

2. SOCIAL ACTIONS ….• Create Awareness / Consciousness among the community,

farmers

• Voluntary Corporate Initiatives like ‘The CEO Water Mandate’ – voluntary initiative towards UN Global Compact.

• Water Neutral Initiatives by industries to make operations Water Neutral

• Make a Difference: Corporate Initiatives to Make a Difference to the Society / local community and global.

WAY AHEAD …………

3. ECONOMIC MEASURES ….

• Right Pricing of Water: for Commercial applications / Water intensive operations

• Well designed Water Permitting Regimes: Incorporating Incentives for Water Conservation Initiatives like Tradable Water Rights and stiff penalties for misuse / contaminating WATER resources.

• Market Based Mechanisms to encourage Mutiple use of Water, Water Reclamation.

WAY AHEAD …………

4. REGULATORY / POLITICAL ACTIONS ….1. Introduce Mandatory regulations to encourage

Sustainable development2. Restoration of Impaired, contaminated Surface &

Groundwater sources3. Introduce Mechanisms to monitor and track water

consumption pattern – large consumers.4. Adopt Integrated management approach towards

Surface & Ground Water Sources

WAY AHEAD …………