How to reclaim our lost water resources

Arvind Kumar
Water Conservation Activist

Climate change is water change. Whenever we talk about climate volatility, we also mean water volatility. It is predicted in the Asian Development Bank (ADB) report entitled ‘Assessing the Costs of Climate Change and Adaptation in South Asia’ that by 2050, the collective economy of six countries — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka — will lose an average 1.8 per cent of its annual gross domestic product; by 2100, the loss will be 8.8 per cent. Are we prepared to bear such losses? 

Countries are facing extremely high water stress and scarcity. Climate change is one of the main driving forces of change for water resources management, together with demographic, socio-economic, and environmental factors. Warmer temperatures are creating patterns of deeper droughts, land degradation and desertification, creating a stress on food security. The link between water and climate change has for long been ignored at global climate summits, but of late it has started taking centre stage on the international platform. 

A heatwave is sweeping north India and an expected El Nino is a sign of a delayed monsoon. Water is being considered as the root of every environment problem. Does the Jal Shakti Mantralaya’s ambitious promise to provide piped drinking water to every household by 2024 under the  Nal Se Jal scheme hold the hope to quench the thirst of 1.3 billion? 

Two questions must be considered under the umbrella of water security. First, as to how long our water resources will last in the light of the consumption patterns. Second, as to how these resources should be managed so that future generations have access to the same quality of life as the present one.

During the lean season, water has a hideous mirror. This is glaringly witnessed through illegal water hijacking, water mafia, paying exorbitantly to water tankers that has escalated costs for the common man which is further compounded by hindered water availability having destructed the entire ‘water security’ of the nation. Community taps are running dry, resulting in queues for even potable water. Nobody had planned the growing water needs.

Why does there exist a culture of freebies or free water to all? Where do we look for other sources of water to satiate the needs? Haryana and Punjab’s Green Revolution has resulted in depleting groundwater tables. Making water cheap is resulting in inefficiency and wastage. Any free resource consumption creates a cycle of vicious distortion. 

What policy choice are we left with? Water has garnered an important stellar role in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 100-day vision plan. Can this create a wave in churning the water dynamics with significant commitments?

Water is becoming increasingly scarce. Realise this grim scenario, the sooner the better. Policies have been in place to support conservation, reduce wastage and increase water use efficacy. The National Water Mission or Namami Ganga programme talks about conservation and preservation of water resources which have met with mixed results. The Draft National Water Framework Bill, 2016 is still basking for approval. What lies beyond laws, policies, institutions? 

Clearly, the immediate priority is to make a paradigm shift to the supply side management and address those challenges that make water usage more efficient and discourage wastefulness. Priority must be laid on the allocation of resources, efficiency in water use and ensuring rejuvenation of the available water bodies, which shall go a long way to solving India’s water woes. 

Most water-related problems plaguing water security are solvable through sustainable water management, accompanied by better capacity building, knowledge dissemination and awareness generation. To sensitise the issue among the public, it is significant to galvanise the expertise of civil societies, resident welfare associations, self-help groups and domain experts in order to incentivise the notion of comprehensive water security.  

Efforts of civil societies are often thwarted and the absence of sustainable funding often complicates their efforts. Bangladesh is much ahead of us, thanks to its strong civil societies network. Civil societies can be ‘catalysts of change’and the missing link to converge government efforts of water management, raise the entrepreneurship of water culture and aid the efforts to convert non-resources to resources. 

A common agenda for water management policies should include prioritising management of water resources which must be acknowledged by devising national water conservation strategy and action that understands the scenario of water resources availability. Further, a new water vision must involve the confluence of perspectives by incorporating gender, rights, economic, state and community perspective. It's time we seized the opportunity to implement ‘right to water’ to quench the thirst of 1.3 billion in our country.

SDG 6 (Clean Water) is the gateway to fulfilling the provisions of SDG Agenda 2030 and Paris Agreement which shall serve as a bridge to minimise the gap between the social, economic and environmental pillars of sustainable development. It is the golden key to unlocking the prospects of water security, peace and development and good nature resource governance. The regressive nature of free water supply needs to be corrected and the progressive system to encourage rejuvenation of water saving adopted. Resource (water sources) must be generated to secure the availability and utilisation to its roots (community). We can take a stand to rejuvenate water bodies, aquifers, ground water resources and restore the efficacy of its water bodies. This must be accompanied by the win approach of institutional support and community participation.

During water scarcity days, instead of a free threshold, a progressive idea of Piau (community water spots) or water ATMs charged with a reasonable price can be made available to the public, more to get rid of the water mafia and encourage water saving in the long run. We need to undertake a fundamental strategic shift in the way our water bodies are managed. Water augmenting strategies such as harnessing water conservation and power generation through multi-purpose reservoirs through integrated water shed management must be enabled to use both water and energy in a sustainable manner  and cohesively ensure water-energy-food security.

Altogether, the perusal of judicious combination of advocacy, capacity building, knowledge dissemination, right policy framework and participatory governance shall go a long way in reclaiming our lost water resources.

The UN Climate Change chief, on the sidelines of Bonn Climate Change Conference, said climate change is an existential issue for humans. It is true. It is now understood that the dynamics of ‘water security’ often clashes with social and economic priorities of the government. Prioritising water saving and toughening management of water resources shall prove a big gamechanger. Water should never be a pendulum swinging between politics of consensus or conflict. Instead of ‘pacification of the politics’, we must shift towards ‘solution of politics’, sparking a ray of hope for a ‘Water-smart Nation’.