Stopping Over Drilling Of Groundwater To Make Delhi Not To Go Dry By 2015: ASSOCHAM

If Delhities do not regulate their current average water consumption, estimated around 225 liters a day and water harvesting and its treatment is not addressed on priority, the national capital will run out of ground water by 2015, warns a 60 Page Report 'Water - Myths and Mysteries' brought out by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).

The Report already submitted to Government of Delhi, further warns that Delhi Jal Board supplies just over 30 million cubic meters of water per day to its end users but 17 million cubic meters only reach consumers.

More than 50% leakage is due to infrastructure problems such as leaking pipes. 27% of homes in New Delhi receive tap water for less than 2 hours a day, although Delhi Jal Board claims an average water supply of 4 hours a day.

Releasing the Report, the Secretary General ASSOCHAM, Mr. D S Rawat said that although Delhi�s Per capita daily water requirement is around 274 liters but the fact is that Delhities consume nearly 225 liters a day for drinking, bathing and other necessary users which is too high a rate given the supply side management. We need to curtail it significantly and judiciously as the water levels have already gone down, otherwise as projected in the report, Delhi will run out to groundwater by 2015.

Specific reasons as to why this should happen because India has already drilled more than 21 million wells and now pull over 200 cubic kilometer of water out of the earth of which it is roughly estimated that the National capital region has drill more than 3.5 million wells, resulting into severe shrinkages and scarcities in its ground water levels.

The report highlights that the Delhi�s current requirement is around 4275 million liters per day (MLD), while supplies are around only 3375 MLD. The demand supply gap is in the range of between 25-34%, pointed out Mr. Rawat adding that Delhi would have a deficit of over 1000 MLD by year 2021. The total water demand in 2021 is estimated to be 6272 MLD as against a supply of 5259 MLD which means a deficit of 1013 MLD.

The report further points out that as the Delhi�s water supply runs through an 8,960-kilometer network of battered public pipes, the total distribution losses are of the order of 40 percent of the water supplied. It is quite high as compared to 10 to 20 percent in (other) developing countries.

Over-exploitation of ground water through digging too many and deep bore-wells has adversely hit the water table. Delhi is now registering an average fall in the groundwater table by as much as 0.5 meter to 1.5 meter annually.

Yamuna river is acting the principal drain for Delhi's waste, as residents pour about 950 million gallons of sewage into it each day. Coursing through the capital, the river becomes a noxious black thread. Clumps of raw sewage float on top. Methane gas gurgles on the surface. It is hardly safe for fish, let alone bathing or drinking. Fecal coliform in the Yamuna, which is one measure of filth, was 100,000 times the safe limit for bathing.

The report further says that the nation's capital is perpetually in the grip of a water crisis, more so during the dry season, when the situation gets particularly worse. As the demand-supply gap widens, more groundwater is being exploited. Of the water supplied by the municipality, approximately 11 per cent comes from groundwater reserves and remaining from the Yamuna river. It is, however, difficult to establish the total quantity of groundwater extracted because a large number of tubewells (owned by individuals, industries and bottled. The report further mentions that Delhi receives raw water from the main sources such as river yamuna, ground water and rain water.

Yamuna, a perennial river, provides the major share of water supply. Delhi�s share of this river�s resources, as per inter-state agreements, is 4.6%. Of the water allocation from the Yamuna, 282 MCM (million cubic metres) flows unutilized. Surface water contributes to over 86% of Delhi's total water supply.

Dynamic groundwater resources in Delhi have been assessed as 292 MCM, while the present withdrawal is 312 MCM. Chemical quality of groundwater in Delhi varies with depth and space. Brackish water at shallow depths exists in Kanjhawla and Najafgarh blocks and in some minor. The hydrogeological situation characterized by occurrence of alluvial formation and quartzitic hard rocks controls the availability of groundwater in the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

Rainwater: Delhi receives a normal rainfall of 611.8 mm in 27 rainy days of which 80 % is received in three months ( July - September), and the unutilized rainwater runoff is 193 MCM.

Source : Equity Bulls

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