The Hindu : `Learn to live with less water'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 22, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

`Learn to live with less water'

By K. Lakshmi

CHENNAI, MARCH 21. Long queues of pots lined up before tankers and concrete inner rings for wells heaped alongside roads are regular features in the city these days. Getting water is high on everyone's itinerary and takes up a good part of each person's time.

With failed monsoons and depleting groundwater resources, the city has been struggling to meet its water needs. Tankers that whiz down the roads at any time of the day or night are much sought after. Every one, right from policy makers to the common man, is discussing how to manage the limited resources.

Across the world, March 22 is dedicated to water. For Chennai, World Water Day couldn't have come at a better time. While the State reels under the effects of drought, there is a scramble to conserve water resources in the best way possible.

The United Nations General Assembly has called upon the international community to observe the day in the context of water and disasters. "As far as Chennai is concerned, we are facing a period of drought," said a hydrogeologist of State Groundwater and Surface Water Resources Data Centre.

Water table is dipping in many places and indiscriminate exploitation over the years has led to the crisis, he says.

Calling the crisis as a "man-made disaster", Sekar Raghavan, Director of Rain Centre, said, "We have taken water for granted. For several years, we let the rainwater into the sewerage and then into the sea. Water is not a free commodity anymore and every ounce matters."

If rainwater harvesting has been adopted as vigorously as now about five years ago, "we could have harnessed more water," Mr. Raghavan said.

But these times of adversity are also times of extraordinary efforts which bring out the best in people, organisations and the government. The prospects of perennial water shortage have brought organisations, academicians and officials to ponder over solutions.

While desalination and reverse osmosis treatment plants are debated as possible long-term solutions, recycling wastewater for individual use is also being suggested.

However, city groundwater experts say that the only short-term solution for the citizens "is to learn to live with less water." This year's watchword for World Water Day advises people to `be informed and be prepared.'

As a first step towards understanding the crisis, students from various city schools and college will learn about water harvesting and also discuss conservation methods at Hotel Park Sheraton on Monday.

The students will discuss about enhancing water productivity at a cost-effective method at the venue. They will also be exposed to the effluent treatment plant operation and water conservation methods followed by the hotel, says a release.

Besides the students, the hotel's employees are also to be educated about protection of water resources through quiz programmes scheduled for March 25.

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