Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there was a need to start conserving water right away and that the Jal Shakti Ministry would be launching a 100-day “catch the rain” campaign soon right from 1st March 2021 onwards.
Mr. Modi was speaking during his monthly radio address, Mann Ki Baat, when he said there was a need to have collective responsibility with regard to water conservation.
“In most parts of India, rainfall begins in May-June. Can we right away start a 100-day campaign for the sake of cleaning up water sources around us and conserving rainwater? With this very thought in mind, in a few days from now, Jal Shakti Abhiyan ‘catch the rain’ is being initiated by the Jal Shakti Ministry,” he said, according to the English translation of his address provided by the government.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said there was a need to start conserving water right away and that the Jal Shakti Ministry would be launching a 100-day “catch the rain” campaign soon.
In this regard, the Union Jal Shakti Ministry is also launching “Catch the rain” campaign and its main theme is “catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls”, he said.
“This is the best time to think about water conservation in the summer months ahead,” Modi said.
Let’s work together in this regard and support in water conservation & harvesting and prepare ourselves for the Extreme summer and then harvest the water during the Monsoon season.
Water scarcity issues are not new in India. Per capita water availability less than 1,700 cubic metre is considered water stressed and the present number in India is 1,545 cubic metre. Water resources ministry predicts water availability could plunge to 1,341 cubic metres in 2025 and as low as 1,140 by 2050. This scenario mirrors water-scarcity condition where per-person availability is less than 1,000 cubic metres. Different states in the country have been hit by severe drought conditions from time to time affecting people, agriculture, livestock etc. This time the 5 states in South India, namely Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have been victims of severe water crisis.
Water levels in dams have hit dead storage levels, large water reservoirs have dried up, 75% or more small irrigation tanks have dried up and underground water levels have reached all time low in the states. There has been less rainfall by almost 40-70% in these states leading to drought like conditions. Farmlands have become parched due to lack of rainfall and water. Agriculture is hampered gravely causing farmers to resort to suicide. Cattle and other livestock are suffering. On the whole the situations in the states are dire.
Impact of water crisis on the construction industry in South India
Scarcity of water has hampered all industries in South India in some way or the other and this includes the construction industry as well. Water is needed in large amounts in the construction industry for various purposes. Right in the beginning, water is needed to mix mortar, sand and other raw ingredients that are needed in the construction work. To make the plaster and construction strong and solid, water is sprayed on the built surface in abundance so that mortar absorbs the same and makes it tougher. Gallons of water are needed for the same depending on the volume of the construction project.
Reducing water consumption and improving water efficiency in buildings is a major step towards sustainable water management
As per one on the research report, presents two tables after their survey- one that assesses the embodied water of the materials used in the building and the second assesses the amount of water used during the construction process.
Trying a different product in the construction industry instead of mortar
With severe scarcity of water in the South Indian states, carrying out the above mentioned construction processes is next to impossible. How about trying something different for the construction industry so that the whole work gets completed without use of water? Instead of using mortar between the bricks for keeping them together, how about using a kind of strong adhesive that will do the work of the mortar?
A new product has been launched in the market by the name of ‘Dryfix’. This product is nothing but strong glue, which will work as an alternative for mortar. When applied in between two bricks, they will stick to one another. It will have the same function as that of mortar, but with lesser hassles. More importantly, it will be possible to save great volumes of water by using this product. Moreover, the adhesive is environment-friendly and sustainable solution, without using single drop of water in construction. This product can become an integral part of sustainable construction practices in the country.
Along with saving water, ‘Dryfix’ is easy to use. It just needs to be applied on the surfaces between two bricks and that is all that needs to be done. No separate mixture needs to be created; there are no chances of debris or other particles falling on the ground during construction work and no additional labor of cleaning up the place after construction work is completed for the day. With such easy and hassle-free application, the speed of construction work also gets boosted leading to quick completion of a construction project.
Water conservation – preserving water and using it during crisis times
The invention of ‘Dryfix’ can solve the problem of water crisis in the construction industry for sure, but for other industries water is inevitable. Therefore it is important that people know effective ways of water conservation. Interestingly, the process of water conservation can begin from the home and then can be extended to the neighborhood, to the workplace and so on. With more numbers of people getting involved in the process of water conservation, the results are definitely going to get better with each passing day.
Water is mandatory for agriculture and there are many water conservation techniques that are followed by farmers for irrigation. Farmers in India use billion gallons of water every day for irrigation, aquaculture and livestock care. With dire scarcity of water, managing the whole thing will be difficult and become impossible after a point of time.
If common people start conserving water in the small ways they can in their homes and workplaces, it will be possible to save lots of water on the long run. And this conserved water can be used in various ways during crisis situations. The Indian government and respective state governments have also taken great measures towards conserving water. Large tanks, dams, lakes and reservoirs have been built where water can be stored and used for various works. In case of water scarcity or drought conditions, water from the reservoirs can be used. But the reservoirs and tanks have fixed capacity. As soon as water levels come down in the tanks and reservoirs, they should be replenished when water is available.
With appropriate water conservation methods, it is definitely possible to combat possible drought conditions. Some of the Sustainable Products For our daily need
Zerodor:-Zerodor is a revolutionary waterless urinal technology which can save over 151000 liters of water per year per urinal. That is one whole year of 14 families getting access to water.
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Saving of Water is not only required the need for Humans. But by saving water resources we are also helping the Wildlife and the Ecosystem near us to Develop.
Waterless urinals are the urinals which does not consume water and are water efficient
Water Savings. Toilets and urinals account for about half of a typical building’s water consumption. In the United States, almost five billion gallons of water are used every day to flush urinals and toilets, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Conventional flush-type urinals use about one to five gallons per flush, depending on their age. Because no-flush urinals use no water, one to five gallons of water is saved with each use.
Low Maintenance. Waterless urinals generally require little maintenance. The absence of a flush valve eliminates valve repairs and reduces opportunities for tampering. Additionally, overflow due to clogged drains and vandalism is not a problem because large amounts of water are not being flushed. According to the manufacturers, drain lines on waterless urinals are less susceptible to clogging as the mixture of water and urine, absent with no-flush urinals, causes encrustations to form in the pipes. Occasional flushing with a few gallons of water is recommended to keep lines clean.
Improved Hygiene. Many people think that urine is an unclean substance. However, it is generally a sanitary liquid, composed mainly of dissolved metabolic waste and excess water. Urine normally does not contain harmful microorganisms unless the person is harboring some type of urinary tract infection.
Water used by conventional urinals gives germs in the restroom the moist environment they need to grow. Manufacturers design waterless urinals to remain dry.
This makes them hostile to bacteria and viruses. Also, flushing tends to send these microbes airborne, spreading them throughout the restroom. In addition, because there is no handle, no-flush urinals are touch-free, reducing the spread of communicable diseases.
Mr. Sachin Joshi, Co-founder of Ekam Eco Solutions says “Waterless urinals would result in a significant improvement in public restroom hygiene in India”
Odor Control. The absence of a water-urine blend in the bowl lessens the prevalence of odors often associated with urinals, according to at least one manufacturer. { The sealant liquid filling the trap is designed to keep odors out of the restroom.
Environmental Friendliness. Waterless urinals contribute positively to the environment. First, the absence of water for flushing reduces the demand for water. Also, because no water goes down the drain, additional wastewater requiring treatment is not generated. Next, the special drain cartridges and inserts used in some models are recyclable. Finally, the sealant liquid composed of natural oils is biodegradable.
Rebates and Incentives. Some water utility companies offer rebates and incentive payments to owners installing waterless urinals. Payments range from a partial to full reimbursement for the cost of no-flush urinals.
Energy Reduction. Widespread use of waterless urinals could result in an overall reduction in energy use. Cities and other water supply agencies would not have to use energy to treat and pump as much water.
“Green Building” Credits. Many new construction projects are earning certification as “Green buildings” under the green building ratings program developed by the Indian Green Building Council. Installation of waterless urinals helps gain water conservation points.
User Acceptance. Some owners report initial reluctance on the part of users to psychologically accept waterless urinals. Two universities reported that signs posted near the urinals explaining how they work and why they were installed seemed to increase favorable responses.
Retrofits. When replacing conventional urinals, removal of flush valves and capping of water supply lines will be necessary. Some remodeling may be required to lower the drain lines where needed to bring the new waterless urinals to the proper mounting height.
Local Approval. Acceptance of no-flush urinals varies from city to city. However, acceptance of no-flush urinals is now ubiquitous throughout the country with only three states not yet having their plumbing codes changed.
India is home to 18 percent of the total world’s population, but it has access to only 4 percent of the world’s freshwater resources. Reports by the think-tank of the Indian government i.e. NITI Aayog states – India is facing the vilest water crisis in its history. This 2018 report predicts, 21 Indian cities, including major metros like Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore will run out of groundwater by 2020. This situation is extremely alarming, as 2020 is just a few months away.
The drought situation in few parts of the county, in times when good monsoon showers are expected mirrors clearly that waning climate change is all set to cause mayhem. By now, most of the parts of the country should have been experiencing good amounts of rainfall but the reality is far more disturbing. Severe drought threatens the country, and poor infrastructure is making it worse. But there are potential solutions one of which is ‘Catching the Rains’ with different types of rainwater harvesting systems.
Rainwater Harvesting – What Is It?
Rainwater harvesting is a technology used to collect, convey, and store rainwater from relatively clean surfaces like the roof, rock catchment, or land surface – essentially for later use. This collected rainwater is either directed to recharge groundwater or stored in a rainwater tank.
Rainwater harvesting isn’t some modern technology, it has been practiced for over 4,000 years throughout the world. Traditionally in arid and semi-arid areas, rainwater harvesting systems have provided water for domestic use, drinking, livestock, and small irrigation purposes. Today, rainwater harvesting is gathering a lot of significance as a modern, water-saving and simple technology.
Why Rainwater Harvesting?
In many regions across the globe, clean drinking water is not easily and readily available. For potable water, huge investment costs and expenditure is needed. Rainwater is one free water source and comparatively clean; with proper treatment, it can be used for several non-potable uses. Rainwater harvesting relieves the pressure on sewers and the environment by mitigating floods, soil erosions and replenishing groundwater levels; also it helps in saving the high-quality drinking water sources by reducing the consumption of potable water.
There are so many reasons why we should start collecting rainwater. From doing our part for the environment and saving money on water bills to having constant access to water – collecting rainwater can be beneficial in so many ways.
Below mentioned are the different types of rainwater harvesting systems:
1. Water Butt
One of the most basic types of rainwater harvesting systems; water Butt collects rainwater in a container from natural rainfall and/or drain pipes. The collected water is used mainly for watering the garden.
2. Direct-Pumped
Another very common and professional type of rainwater harvesting.
Submersible – Used particularly in domestic settings and is the easiest systems to install. The pump is placed within the underground tank and the harvested water is pumped directly to WCs or other appliances used daily for domestic purposes.
Suction – In this system, the pump is located within the control unit of the house (e.g. utility room). This unit also deals with backup from the mains water supply, hence there is no need to direct mains water down to the underground tank.
Most rainwater harvesting systems need pumps to transfer the collected rainwater from storage tanks to the point of use. Submersible pumps are generally more efficient than suction pumps and do not suffer from the same limitations.
3. Indirect Pumped
This type of rainwater harvesting system doesn’t rely on gravity to supply water to the outlets. Instead, it pumps the harvested water to a tank which can be at any level in the building. Furthermore, a booster pump is used to provide a pressurized water supply. One of the most significant benefits of this system is that it offers great flexibility to tailor the booster pumps to adjust the flow and pressure requirements of a building.
4. Indirect Gravity
This system ensures water is supplied to the outlets by gravity alone. For this, the harvested water is first pumped to the header tank, i.e. high-level tank and then allowed to free-flow. In Indirect gravity systems, the pump works only to fill the header tank.
5. Gravity Only
In few conditions, a system which functions purely through gravity may be needed. Such systems do not demand pumps hence involves no energy use. With such an arrangement, water can be collected only when collection tanks are located below the level of gutters, yet higher than the outlets which it will supply. Here the only power of gravity is needed to feed collected and harvested water to various parts of the household. Gravity only is one of the most energy-efficient rainwater harvesting systems.
6. Retention Ponds
Retention ponds are used to collect surface runoff water and improve the quality of water by natural processes like sedimentation, decomposition, solar disinfection, and soil filtration. This type of pond normally has a mud bottom, but in some cases, it may be lined with concrete. The most common use of water collected and harvested by pond harvesting is watering livestock, however, it can also be used for groundwater recharge, irrigation or any other purpose other than potable uses.
7. In-Ground Storage
Underground storage tanks are very popular in areas where the majority of rainfall occurs in one single season. These underground tanks are insulated and have a very low rate of evaporation. In addition, the water stored in these doesn’t freeze if it is buried below the frost line, this is a huge advantage that surface storage tanks do not offer. Underground tanks need to be connected to an electric pump to ensure supply of the stored water to the outlets.
Rainwater Harvesting Is Crucial For The Future
It is the human’s unfriendly attitude towards nature which has poisoned our water-bodies and turned them unfit for any use. We are stretching our local water resources to provide for the exponential population growth and economic development. Turning to new water supply strategies and paradigms are indispensable to meet this demand.
Today most of the parts of the world are facing scarcity of water, taking up rainwater harvesting is necessary for survival. Natural resources come in abundance but they cannot be produced – attempts need to be made to collect and harvest it at an individual level.
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Zerodor:-Zerodor is a revolutionary waterless urinal technology which can save over 151000 liters of water per year per urinal. That is one whole year of 14 families getting access to water.
Water aeration – brings water and air in close contact in order to remove dissolved gases such as carbon dioxide and oxidizes dissolved metals such as iron, hydrogen sulfide and volatile organic chemicals (VOC’s).
Aeration brings water and air in close contact by exposing drops or thin sheets of water to the air or by introducing small bubbles of air (the smaller the bubble the better), and letting them rise through the water.
Faucet Aerator –
A Faucet Aerator or Tap Aerator is often found at the tip of modern indoor water faucets. Aerators reduce the water coming through the faucets by mixing it with water. The aerator acts as a sieve, sending a separating a single flow of water into many tiny streams.
There is less space for the water to flow through, the water flow is reduced. However, the water pressure is maintained.
Shape the water stream coming out of the faucet spout, to produce a straight and evenly pressured stream
Conserve water and reduce energy costs
Reduce faucet noise
Increase perceived water pressure
Provides slight filtration of debris due to a small sieve plate
Pond Aerator –
Pond aeration is key for creating and maintaining the perfect pond.
Adding an aerator system to the pond or lake can provide many key benefits including increased fish activity and populations, clearer water conditions, reduced algae and muck, as well as preventing icing over of the pond during winter.
Pond Aeration is supplied by a pump that moves water throughout the pond and provides circulation. Aeration is improved even more when the water surface is broken by means of a waterfall or fountain.
Chemicals removed by Aeration –
Constituents commonly affected by aeration are:
Volatile organic chemicals, such as benzene (found in gasoline), or trichloroethylene, dichloroethylene, and perchloroethylene (used in dry-cleaning or industrial processes)
They come in varying abilities to control the flow.
Aerators can save you up to half of your water usage through faucets with aerators on them.
When you are using aerated water, you won’t notice a difference.
Estimates are that aerators can save you 280 gallons a month.
If you use less water, you will use less gas or oil to heat it. This means you will also see a savings on your heating bill.
Conclusion – So this is one of the most cost effective and energy effective manner in which we can conserve water. Also it’s quick and easy installation make this new tech product a must buy.
Water is an indispensable resource but pressures on freshwater resources across the world are growing rapidly due to population growth, increased industrial activities, urbanization, and of course changing lifestyles. India like the other countries is severely in-immune to these water pressures, in fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to the say – Water pressures in our country is being felt much more rapidly than expected.
Bengaluru for example made to the news of turning the next Cape Town, to face the threat of running out of potable water by 2020. Developing parts of Bengaluru is now facing severe water pressure and receive less water per person. In fact, most of the new and upcoming apartments depend largely on tanker water for drinking and other use.
Water pressures and the dangers lack of adequate water of appropriate quality poses for people, industry, and ecosystems, have been time and again highlighted in several reports. However, the main aim behind highlighting the issues remain same – Water conservation is the need of the hour.
Water Conservation Techniques – 10 Products That Help!
Today much innovation has gone into creating and developing products which improve water efficiency in buildings. With adoption of water conservation techniques being the strain of this blog, here are 10 innovative products which can help reduce water use in buildings.
1. Greywater Recycling Systems
The water used in most building structures is thought of in terms of clear clean water coming in, and sewage or black water going out. However, greywater is something that is in between that. In the domestic setting, greywater systems collect water from sources like baths, hand basins, and showers. This collected water is reused for washing machines, toilet flushing, and other external usages. The main idea behind greywater recovery is simply getting the most out of the water through its efficient reuse.
Rainwater harvesting systems can vary from the basic small ones, like the attachment of a water butt to a rainwater down-pipe, to the complexly designed large ones like those which collect rainwater from large areas and serve momentous numbers of properties. When it comes to domestic purposes, these systems are relevant to both commercial and domestic properties. When collected, rainwater can be used for garden irrigation, toilet flushing, and even in washing machines.
3. Efficient Irrigation Technology
Beautiful lawns and gardens demand a significant amount of water for its maintenance. In addition to indoor fixtures, efficient outdoor irrigation technologies like smart irrigation controllers can help to save a lot of water. These controllers can effectively track factors like precipitation or temperature and avoid over-watering the properties landscaping or plantations. In addition to smart irrigation controllers, one can save even more by trading out spray sprinklers for drip irrigation. These sprinkles can deliver water to your plants directly as these can be buried under the lawn.
4. Water Meters
Water metering is a common term used by people when the discussion is around water conservation techniques. Water metering in simple terms is the process of measuring the water use in each residential apartment. Water meters are installed in each home of an apartment and these meters record the amount of water being used in a home for billing purpose or tracking consumption.
5. Pressure Reducing Valves
High water pressures waste a lot of water. Installing water pressure reducing valves turn out to be one great solution. These valves are can be used in residential, commercial, and institutional applications to lessen the incoming water pressure to a lower predetermined level. In this way, it protects the downstream plumbing system components as well as reduces the water consumption.
Insulating all piping and storage tanks are important for any domestic hot water system today. Sadly, in most of the buildings, hot water return pipes are uninsulated or not insulated correctly. As a result, when hot water is needed, the user needs to wait at faucets or showers for the hot water to flow. This can result in significant wastage of water. When pipes are properly insulated it ensures hot water is immediately available and when the tap is closed it supplied back to the plant, consequently reducing the energy demand of the heating unit. With insulated pipes, the user is less likely to waste by waiting for it with the taps open.
Water-efficient taps work in two ways, they can either reduce the water flow rate through the tap or they can support the user to avoid wastage of water by automatically turning it off. These days sensor taps can be seen in almost every shopping mall or airports, these automatically sense the user’s activity based on which is supplies or turns off the water flow using infrared sensors.
Personal bathing accounts for a lot of water use within homes, hotels and other residential settings. Did you know, an average bath uses around 80 liters of water whereas a 5-minute shower at 10 liters per minute will use only 50 liters of water? Water-saving showerheads control the water flow rate and spray pattern of your shower. These are available in a good range of different shapes and sizes and their design can directly affect water consumption during bath.
In 1995, The National Energy Policy Act mandated that all new toilets had to be low flow toilets using no more than 1.6 gallons per flush which were less than half the water used by toilets in the 1980s. Initial results were dissatisfactory but then came the pressure-assisted flushing. The principle of water-efficient toilet design and operation was the shift from removing waste by using flush water volume to increasing flush water velocity. With the limited supply and continuous waste of water resource, it is crucial that we wake up and use it wisely so that we can protect and preserve our environment, minimize the effects of drought and save energy and finally the water bills. Upgrading to low flow toilets can play a crucial role in reducing water footprint.
Water is a necessity; it is the fuel for life on earth. But, even when its supply may seem abundant, it’s not an infinite resource – Remember fresh potable water is scarce and that’s key to our very survival.
If we don’t acknowledge this fact and take it into consideration in designing and constructing; this vital supply of water can be in danger. We, as engineers, developers, and owners, play a crucial role in looking beyond our building budgets and codes to achieve higher levels of water efficiency. No doubt, new and innovative technologies which consume less water have become increasingly important. It’s our realization and common sense that can save our planet and ensure our future generations can enjoy the benefits of abundant freshwater.
